Competition Programme of the 58th Pula Film Festival:

National Programme:

a)      main section (10 films)

Lea and Darija, dir. Branko Ivanda, Koko and the Ghosts, dir. Danijel Kušan, Daddy, dir. Dalibor Matanić, Blurs, dir. Aldo Tardozzi, Little Gypsy Witch, dir.Tomislav Žaja, Kotlovina, dir. Tomislav Radić, 7seX7, dir. Irena Škorić, Step by Step, dir. Biljana Čakić-Veselič, Darkness, dir. Dan Oki, Josef, dir. Stanislav Tomić.

b)       minority co-productions section (6 films)

Room 304, dir. Brigitte Staermose, The Enemy, dir. Dejan Zečević, Good Night, Missy, dir. Metod Pevec, Belvedere, dir. Ahmed Imamović, Piran-Pirano, dir. Goran Vojnović.

International Programme (21 films)

Carlos, dir. Olivier Assayas, Casino Jack, dir. George Hickenlooper, Silent Sonata, dir. Janez Burger, The Double Hour (La doppia ora), dir. Giuseppe Capotondi, We Have a Pope (Habemus Papam), dir. Nanni Moretti, I Am Love (Io sono l'amore), dir. Luca Guadagnino, The Housemaid (Housemaid), dir. Im Sangsoo, Mothers (Majki), dir. Milčo Mančevski, Melancholia (Melancolia), dir. Lars von Trier, A Quiet Life (Una vita tranquilla), dir. Claudio Cupellini, Montevideo, Taste of a Dream, dir. Dragan Bjelogrlić, Nader and Simin, a Separation (Jodaeiye Nader az Simin), dir. Asghar Farhadi, Leaving (Odcházení), dir. Vaclav Havel, Last Night (Last Night), dir. Massy Tadjedin, Skinning, dir. Stevan Filipović, Trophy Wife (Potiche), dir. François Ozon, Three (Drei), dir. Tom Tykwer, Service Entrance (Les femmes du 6ème étage), dir. Philippe Le Guay, Made in Dagenham (Made in Dagenham), dir. Nigel Cole, Come Undone (Cosa voglio di piu), dir. Silvio Soldini, Sacrifice (Sacrifice), dir. Chen Kaige

Short Films Programme (20 films)

Adieu, N, dir. Barbara Vekarić, Fucking Game, dir. David Kapac, Fucking Game, dir. Daina Oniunas Pusić, Fucking Game, dir. Josip Žuvan, You Bitch!, dir. Sonja Tarokić, Us in the Sun, dir. Neda Radić, Nina, Please, dir. Barbara Vekarić, A Night for Two, dir. Filip Mojzeš, First!, dir. Silva Ćapin, The First Time, dir. Neven Dužanec, Room Service, dir. Neda Radić, We Just Kissed, dir. Kristina Vuković, Straight Pool, dir. Filip Šovagović, Happy Birthday Marija, dir. Ivana Škrabalo, That’s Life, dir. Saša Dodik, Lullaby, dir. Jadran Puharić, Hanging Flowers, dir. Ivica Mušan, Zagorski specijalitet, dir. David Kapac, Winter, dir. Denis Lepur and Marko Stanić, Chill, dir. Hana Jušić

Children’s Film Programme Pulica– Screenings for Children (9 films)

The Red Balloon and White Mane, dir. Albert Lamorisse, The Gruffalo, dir. Max Lang i Jakob Schuh, The Crocodiles, dir. Christian Ditter, Molly in Springtime, dir. Pierre-Luc Granjon, Going Our Way, dir. Miha Hočevar, The Ugly Duckling, dir. Garri Bardin, The Secret of an Old Attic, dir. Vladimir Tadej, A Cat in Paris, dir. Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alan Gagnol

DECISION OF THE JURIES

I. Awards granted by the National Competition Programme Jury

Jury: Živorad Tomić, film critic and director - president, Goran Dević, screenwriter and director, Stanko Herceg, cinematographer, Nataša Janjić, actress, Vladimir Tadej, screenwriter and director

a) NATIONAL PROGRAMME – minority co-productions section

            1. Golden Arena for Best Cinematography goes to Sven Pepeonik for the film Good Night, Missy by Metod Pevec– unanimous decision.

            The film depicts universally recognizable emotions using contemporary cinematic techniques in a discreet fashion.

            2. Golden Arena for Best Actress in a Leading Role goes to Polona Juh for the role of Hana in the film Good Night, Missy by Metod Pevec – unanimous decision.

            The actress demonstrated internal restlessness and the power of her character using discreet acting techniques.

            3. Golden Arena for Best Director goes to Metod Pevec for the film Good Night, Missy – majority vote.

            For precise and accurate direction of a film that does not refrain from emotions.

b) NATIONAL PROGRAMME – main section

            1. The Breza Award by Vjesnik for best debutant director goes to Daniel Kušan for the film Koko and the Ghosts – unanimous decision.

            He showed sensibility and maturity in his first film that demonstrated the need for children’s films in Croatian film industry as well as the direction they should take.

            2. Special Golden Arena for Special Effects goes to the film Josef by Stanislav Tomić – unanimous decision.

            For the use of new technical visualization as well as for the promotion of contemporary image poetics.

            3. Special Golden Arena for Sound goes to Frano Homen for the film Kotlovina by Tomislav Radić – unanimous decision.

            For successful execution of a very complex task of demonstrating both natural and background sounds of family chaos.

            4. Special Arena for Best Make-Up goes to Ana Bulajić Črček for the film Lea and Darija by Branko Ivanda – unanimous decision.

            Discreet and natural, yet matching the atmosphere of the period.

            5. Golden Arena for Best Costume Design goes to Barbara Bourek for the film Lea and Darija by Branko Ivanda – unanimous decision.

            They exude convincing elegance of the time in which the action is set.

            6. Golden Arena for Best Art Direction goes to Iva Hušnjak for the film Lea and Darija by Branko Ivanda – unanimous decision.

            She revived the epoch that is behind us.

            7. Golden Arena for Best Music goes to Dinko Appelt for the film Koko and the Ghosts by Daniel Kušan – majority vote.

            The music which matches the genre brought the film closer to the audience it was intended for.

            8. Golden Arena for Best Editing goes to Slaven Zečević for the film Koko and the Ghosts by Daniel Kušan – unanimous decision.

            Precise editing aimed at making the narration of the story we all know more dynamic.

            9. Golden Arena for Best Cinematography goes to Vanja Černjul for the film Daddy by Dalibor Matanić – unanimous decision.

            Excellent visualization of a film story and supreme aesthetics of film photography which depicts character portraits and nature, which gives the story a new atmosphere, in an inspiring manner.

            10. Golden Arena for Best Actor in a Supporting Role goes to Boris Buzančić for the role of Grandpa in the film Kotlovina by Tomislav Radić – unanimous decision.

            The role of Grandpa which no spectator can resist is created in a masterly manner.

            11. Golden Arena for Best Actor in a Leading Role goes to Draško Zidar for the role of Mirko in the film Kotlovina by Tomislav Radić – unanimous decision.

            For the complexity of the character he created intertwining the richness of all the characters of the film troupe.

            12. Golden Arena for Best Actress in a Supporting Role goes to Iva Mihalić for the role of Sister in the film Daddy by Dalibor Matanić – unanimous decision.

            For a realistic and credible depiction of family pathology achieved by minimalist acting.

            13. Golden Arena for Best Actress in a Leading Role goes to Mirela Brekalo Popović for the role of Ana in the film Kotlovina by Tomislava Radića– unanimous decision.

            For a wide variety of acting techniques she used to create a convincing and detailed portrayal of the character she plays.

IMAGE HADDAD has been collaborating with the Festival for as many as 11 years and this collaboration has become a tradition which is based on Haddad’s cureless love for film and its belief that business must support culture and art. Apart from providing clothes to governing council members, IMAGE HADDAD will award this year’s Golden Arena Best Actress in a Leading Role winner, actress Mirela Brekalo

            14. Golden Arena for Best Screenplay goes to Tomislav Radić for the film Kotlovina – unanimous decision.

            Creating the film out of seemingly irrelevant events, he gave an opportunity to his cast to portray superb and convincing characters.

            15. Golden Arena for Best Director goes to Dalibor Matanić for the film Daddy – majority vote.

            He created an atmosphere of unease which is present from the beginning until the end of the film.          

            16. Grand Golden Arena for Best Film goes to Tomislav Radić, producer of the film Kotlovina by Tomislav Radić – unanimous decision.

            For the depiction of a seemingly irrelevant family dynamics which is convincing in terms of style, idea and direction and which as a whole defines the country we live in today in a refined manner.

Hypo Banka grants a prize amounting to HRK 30,000.00 to Tomislav Radić, the director of the film Kotlovina and the winner of the Grand Golden Arena for Best Film at the 58^th Pula Film Festival.

II. Golden Gate of Pula Audience Award

Voting for the National Programme screened in the Arena, the audience granted the Golden Gate of Pula Audience Award to the film Koko and the Ghosts by Daniel Kušan, produced by Inter Film Zagreb, average score 4.78.

Koko and the Ghosts, dir. Danijel Kušan (4.78); Blurs, dir. Aldo Tardozzi (4.52); Piran-Pirano, dir. Goran Vojnović (4.51); Step by Step, dir. Biljana Čakić-Veselič ( 4.48 ); Lea and Darija, dir. Branko Ivanda (4.43); Little Gypsy Witch, dir. Tomislav Žaja (4.42); Kotlovina, dir. Tomislav Radić (3.87); 7seX7, dir. Irena Škorić (3.73); Josef, dir. Stanislav Tomić (3.52), Daddy, dir. Dalibor Matanić (3.37); Darkness, dir. Dan Oki (screening in the Arena cancelled due to rain)

III. Awards by the Jury of the International Programme  

Jury: Paul Bradley, producer – president, Paolo Minuto, film scholar, Niels Schneider, actor

            1. Arena for Best Actor/Actress goes to the entire troupe of the film Silent Sonata by Janez Burger – unanimous decision.

The entire troupe triumphed hand-in-hand in this truly fantastic blend of subtlety, terror, farce and tenderness - overflowing with eloquence without a word being spoken.

            2. Arena for Best Director goes to Luca Guadagnino for the film I Am Love -  unanimous decision.

A supreme (example) of a Director's unique sensitivity and vision dazzlingly realised - a scintillating and mesmeric work.

            3. Arena for Best Film goes to Ashgar Farhadi, directorof the film Nader and Simin, a Separation by Ashgara Farhadija - unanimous decision.

A film which depicts domestic and social disharmony with a sensitive and searing truth; a brilliantly executed drama of universal relevance, the script, cast and director in perfect harmony.

           -Special mention to the film Montevideo, Taste of a Dream by Dragan Bjelogrlić.
In perfect harmony with a thrilled audience during a magical evening at Pula Castle ,
"Montevideo" conjured up the joy of true cinema - funny, touching and joyous. We felt this needed to be shared and celebrated.

IV. The Federation of Film Critics of Europe and the Mediterranean Jury (FEDEORA)

Jury: Eva af Geijerstam, film critic, president, Peter Cargin, film critic, Božidar Trkulja, film critic.

1. Croatian short feature films

A Diploma for Best Film from the Short Film Programme goes to the film Winter by Denis Lepur and Marko Stanić for a focused and discreet depiction of the end of life.

2. National Programme – minority co-productions section

A Diploma for Best Minority Co-production goes to the film The Enemy by Dejan Zečević for metaphysical strength and depiction of war as an internal and external enemy as well as an eternal conflict.

3. National Programme – main section

A Diploma for Best Film in the National Programme Main Section goes to the film Daddy by Dalibor Matanić for his masterly shot, well-constructed and concise drama with four conflicting characters.

V. Awards granted by the Jury of the Croatian Film Critics’ Association

2. International Programme

- A Diploma goes to director Lars von Trier for the film Melancholia, average score 4.63

3. National Programme – minority co-productions section

- A Diploma goes to director Dejan Zečević for the film The Enemy, average score 4.16

4. National Programme – main section

- The OKTAVIJAN Award goes to director Tomislav Radić for the film Kotlovina, average score 4.33.

VI. Awards granted by the Young Film Lovers Yury

Jury of the Young Film Lovers for the International Programme: Noah Balasubrahmanyan, Klasja Habjan, Mia Jurić, Tea Radić, Courtney Sheehan, Luana Verbanac, Vanja Vukičević, president, Mateja Vuković

1. International Programme

- A recognition goes to directors Im Sang-soo for the film The Housemaid and Giuseppe Capotondi for the film The Double Hour, with the same average score of 4.3

Jury  of the Young Film Lovers for the National Programme, Minority Co-productions and Short Croatian Film: Mateja Brodarić, Moira Buršić, Robert Cukon, Ivan Mardešić, Adriano Radolović, Danijela Simović, Ondrej Sloup, Branko Smoljanić, Marija Škrlec, Manda Turkalj, Luana Verbanac, Vanja Vukičević, president

1. Croatian short feature films

- A Diploma goes to director Neda Radić for the film Room Service, average score 3.5

2. National Programme – minority co-productions section

- A Diploma goes to director Metod Pevec for the film Good Night, Missy, average score 3.9

3. National Programme – main section

- A Diploma for Best Film in the National Programme main section goes to Daniel Kušan for the film Koko and the Ghosts, average score 3.9

VII. Awards granted by the Children’s Jury

Jury: Lisa Karan (10 years), Nola Kliček (9 years), Bojan Crnogorčić (10 years), Lana Crnogorčić (9 years), Ivan Račan (9 years), Luka Brodarić (12 years), Denis Joldić (13 years), Luna Vojnović (6 years)

1. A Diploma goes to the German feature film The Crocodiles by Christian Ditter

VIII. Bring Your Own Film! Awards

Jury: Matija Debeljuh, multimedia artist, Jakov Kosanović, film critic and journalist for Slobodna Dalmacija, Dario Marušić, musician and ethno music scholar

1. A Diploma for Best Short Film goes to the film Belief in Life by David Bagarić from Čeminac.

On behalf of the jury Jakov Kosanović concludes: Belief in Life, a short film by David Bagarić deserves the main prize for at least three reasons. Lasting only three minutes, it is skilful in technical terms, it contains a coherent narrative form and it is suggestive. Considering the ambitions of this programme which invites young authors to bring their own films, Bagarić’s film has fulfilled its goals in many ways. T-com, the Partner of the Festival, awards David Bagarić with the fastest running mobile phone on the market, the Samsung Galaxy S II miracle of technology with Simpa Internet mini Start, and LCD Samsung LE22C350D1W TV.   

The second prize, LCD Samsung LE22C350D1W TV, goes to John Kardum and Ira Tomić from Rijeka for an exquisite atmosphere cartoon entitled Everyday toon about golden bird and abnormal goon which could adapt its refined noir easily to any media programme of high visual standards.

Apart from the awards granted by the Jury, the partner of the Festival T-com awards the winner decided upon by the visitors of the MAXzone Tportal. The prize is again the fast miracle of technology Samsungu Galaxy S II with Simpa Internet mini Start and it goes to Mario Celija from Barban for the film The Window.

The competition programme of the Bring Your Own Film call for entries has been concluded for this year and the films are ready for screenings. One only needs to visit max.tportal.hr and go in search of their film!

IX. T- com SMS 58th Pula HIT Award – Grade the film and win Nintendo Wii and LCD TV

Commission: Davorka Pogačić, Matko Plovanić, Sandra Petrović Dishpalli, - Pula Film Festival and Damir Bošnjak and Zvjezdana Šekutor – HT.

The film with the highest score is Koko and the Ghosts – film code KOKO.

The winner of the award who voted for the film Koko and the Ghosts is Mladen Babun, Fijanova 8, Zagreb.

X. The Marijan Rotar Award

            The Marijan Rotar Award, bearing the name of the founder and the originator of the Pula Film Festival, is granted to individuals and institutions whose ideas, actions, help, tendencies and support have helped bring together Pula and film.

            This year’s winner of the award is the independent daily paper GLAS ISTRE, and all its journalists, publicists, critics, photographers and editors who have been providing quality information to readers on films and other events at the Pula Film Festival for 58 years.

The National Programme of the 58^th Pula Film Festival, that will run July 16 – 23, 2011, will showcase 19 films, out of which 10 in the Principal Section and 9 in the Minority Co-Productions Section. The biggest novelty this year are the digital screenings in the Arena, which does not only mark a huge step forward in terms of organization and technology, but also in terms of the programme, because films by producers who didn’t have enough money to make a 35mm copy, or didn’t have time to make it, will get an opportunity to showcase their work in the Arena. The sponsor of the festival, the Zagreb-based company Audio Video Consulting, provided Barco’s 2K projectors. The screenings in the Arena will also showcase the DP2K-32B projector, officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the brightest digital cinema projector in the world.

The National Programme Principal Section comprises five films based on the screenplays approved through Croatian Audio Visual Centre (HAVC) calls for entries and five independent productions which were granted financial support subsequently, following HAVC decision. There are six debutant directors, Daniel Kušan, Tomislav Žaja, Biljana Čakić Veselič, Aldo Tardozzi, Stanislav Tomić and Irena Škorić, in the company with their more experienced colleagues Dalibor Matanić and Dan Oki, and veterans Tomislav Radić and Branko Ivanda. 

This year three Croatian films star children – the historical Lea and Darija by Branko Ivanda, children’s film featuring fantastic elements Koko and the Ghost by Danijel Kušan and Little Gipsy Witch by Tomislav Žaja. Then there are two dramas tackling the topics of love and family, Kotlovina by Tomislav Radić and Step by Step by Biljana Cakić-Veselič. We will also present three crime thrillers: Dalibor Matanić’s psychological thriller Daddy, Dan Oki’s noir Darkness and Aldo Tardozzi’s Blurs, the war drama Josef by Stanislav Tomić and the comic erotic drama 7 seX 7 by Irena Škorić.

This year’s Festival will showcase as many as 13 films from the region, out of which seven in the Minority Co-Productions Programme: the Slovenian Piran-Pirano by Goran Vojnović and Good Night, Missy by Metod Pevec, the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Belvedere by Ahmed Imamović, the Serbian The Enemy by Dejan Zečević, The White Lions by Lazar Ristovski and How I Was Stolen by the Germans by Miloš Mišo Radovanović, as well as the Montenegrin Local Vampire by Branko Baletić. Apart from the regional co-productions, there is also one with Denmark, Room 304 by Brigitte Staermose, and one with Germany, Max Schmelling by Uwe Boll.

Five films from the region compete in the International Programme: the Macedonian Mothers by Milče Mančevski, the Slovenian Silent Sonata by Janez Burger, as well as the Serbian Montevideo, God Bless You by Dragan Bjelogrlić, Cinema Komunisto by Mila Turajlić and Skinning by Stevan Filipović. The Slovenian film Going Our Way by Miha Hočevar will screen as part of the Children’s Film Programme.

The Short Films Programme, that last year became a competition programme, comprises twenty films, out of which ten by young female directors (Sonja Tarokić, Barbara Vekarić (2 films), Hana Jušić, Silva Ćapin, Kristina Vuković, Neda Radić (2), Ivana Škrabalo and Daina Oniunas Pusić), and ten by male directors (Jadran Puharić, Ivica Mušan, Neven Dužanec, Filip Mojzeš, David Kapac (2), Denis Lepur, Marko Stanić, Saša Dodik, Filip Šovagović and Josip Žuvan). Only two of the films have already been presented at the Days of Croatian Film. Most of the films tackle erotic themes and among them there is a group of short films produced by the Zagreb Academy of Dramatic Art and based on the short story by Tarik Kulenović entitled The Fucking Game that will be showcased together on the same night.

Following Pedro Almodóvar and Giuseppe Tornatore, the Pula Film Festival dedicates this year’s retrospective in the set dedicated to renowned world film directors to American filmmaker James Ivory (Berkeley, California, 1928). The retrospective of this director of refined visual style, who has been working continuously and steadily for the last 58 years, and whose films are remembered for his detailed characters, perfectionist mizanscene and an impressive atmosphere, will include eleven films, representing his three most important phases of creation: the Indian, the British and the American phase. Together with Ismail Merchant, James Ivory founded the production company Merchant-Ivory in 1961. They were joined by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala as a screenwriter. James Ivory films won six Academy Awards and he won three Best Director nominations.

The films will be screened at the Valli Cinema, with the exception of White Countess that will be showcased at Kastel, but also in Rijeka and Dubrovnik. Large number of films from this section will be screened also in Zagreb at the Metropolis Art House of the Museum of Contemporary Art. Read more.

Films from the Pula Film Festival will be screened at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival and the Split Summer Festival this year once again. Films from the main section of the National Programme, as well as selected titles from the International Programme, will be showcased also as part of the Rijeka Summer Nights Festival and Bol Summer Festival. The Šibenik Summer Festival will select the films from the minority co-productions programme.

The film The Kids Are All Right by Lisa Cholodenko, winner of the Golden Globe for best film in the category of comedy or musical, will premiere in the Arena as part of the International Programme of the 58th Pula Film Festival. This winner of four Oscar nominations (among which also for best film and best screenplay) stars Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo and Annette Bening, who won the Golden Globe for her role. The film centres on two children (played by Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson) conceived by artificial insemination for a lesbian couple  who find their biological father and bring him into their family life.

The Festival will also for the first time in Croatia showcase the British film Made in Dagenham by Nigel Cole. This is a humorous dramatization of the strike at the Ford car plant in the English town of Dagenham where female workers succeeded in ensuring equal pay for men and women. The film stars Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky by Mike Leigh), Bob Hoskins and others.

The third novelty in terms of the International Programme is also dedicated to women: the French romantic comedy Service Entrance (Les femmes du 6ème étage) by Philippe Le Guay, premiered at this year’s Berlinale, starring Fabrice Luchini, Sandrine Kiberlain, Carmen Maura and others. In Paris of the 1960s the life of a conservative well-off couple changes throughout when the husband becomes intimate with the servants living in the attic.

The International Programme of the 58the Pula Film Festival will be finalized after the closing of the Cannes Film Festival.

National Geographic Traveler editors recommend Istria and Pula as one of 10 top trips of summer 2011. They describe their choice with these words.
More than 40 beaches on Istria’s 333-mile coast have earned a coveted Blue Flag for superior water quality and environmental management standards. While not as familiar to North Americans as Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, this densely forested peninsula at the top right-hand corner of the Adriatic Sea has been a popular summer hot spot since Austro-Hungarian Empire days. Head west and south for crystalline blue bays, tranquil coves, and white pebble and sandy shores bordered by fragrant pines. The Medulin Riviera, located near Istria’s southern tip, offers 49 miles of coastline, plus hilltop medieval villages and ancient ruins to explore. Just south of Medulin is rugged Cape Kamenjak, an edge-of-the-world nature reserve featuring sheer 70-foot cliffs, hidden coves, and flat stone outcroppings nature-made for sunbathing. The current is powerful here, so you may want to play it safe and watch the windsurfing and cliff-jumping action from the safety of the rocky shore. Make time to visit the regional capital Pula, home of the Pula Arena. This remarkably intact first-century Roman amphitheatre hosts numerous summer concerts and events, including the July 16-23 portion of the 58th Pula Film Festival.

The Europlis-Merdians international programme of the 58^th Pula Film Festival will screen this year's Golden Bear winner, a family drama with elements of a thriller entitled Nader and Simin: A Separation (Jodaeiye Nader az Simin) by Iranian director Asghar Farhadi. The film also won Silver Bears for best actor and best actress.

There is another film coming from Berlin and that is Sacrifice by Chen Kaige (Golden Palm winner for Farewell My Concubine), a marshal arts drama about the only surviving heir of the Chinese royal dynasty.

The 58^th Pula Film Festival International Programme will screen a number of films selected from major international film festivals, as well as some of the most successful films from the region. From the Cannes Film Festival comes Olivier Assayas’ crime thriller Carlos, winner of the Golden Globe award as a miniseries. In Pula we will have an opportunity to see the 165-minute version of the true story of the world’s most notorious terrorist called Carlos, the Jackal. From the last year’s Cannes Film Festival comes The Housemaid (Hanyo), a South Korean erotic thriller by Im Sang-soo.

Venice brings us Trophy Wife (Potiche), a French family comedy by François Ozon, starring Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu. Venice also brings us The Double Hour (La doppia ora) by Giuseppe Capotondi, starring Ksenia Rappaport, who also starred in Giuseppe Tornatore’s The Unknown Woman. From the same festival also comes the German romantic drama Three (Drei) by Tom Tykwer (best known for his films Run Lola Run and Perfume) about a married couple who fall in love with the same person. Tilda Swinton stars in the Italian romantic drama I am Love (Io sono l’amore) by Luca Guadagnino, which also premiered in Venice.

The American romantic drama Last Night by Massy Tadjedin, starring Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington and Eva Mendes, opened the last year’s Rome Film Festival. The Rome Film Festival also brings us the Italian thriller A Quiet Life (Una vita tranquilla) by Claudio Cupellini about an Italian crook whose quiet family life in Germany under a false identity is disturbed by the arrival of his son.

Another film coming from Italy is a romantic drama about adultery Come Undone (Cosa voglio di piu) by Silvio Soldini (well-known for his film Bread & Tulips), which premiered at last year’s Berlinale. The Toronto Film Festival brings us Casino Jack, a Canadian crime comedy by George Hickenlooper, based on a true story about Jack Abramoff, a well-known American lobbyist who ended up behind bars.

Serbia brings us the biggest blockbuster in that country – Montevideo – God Bless You! (Montevideo, Bog te video) by Dragan Bjelogrlić, centred on a Yugoslav football selection preparing for the football championship in Uruguay in 1930. That country brings us another blockbuster, the thriller Skinning (Šišanje) by Stevan Filipović, centred on the phenomenon of neonacism among young people, especially among football supporters.

With this year’s FEST critics’ award and jury prize in hand comes the feature documentary film Mothers by Milcho Manchevski which screened at festivals in Toronto and Berlin. Slovenia brings us the winner of the Slovenian National Festival in Portorož Circus Fantasticus by Janez Burger, starring Leon Lučev.

Opening credits for these films have been published on the Festival’s You Tube site.

The remainder of the films from this programme will be published after the completion of the festival in Cannes.

At a session chaired by Minister of Culture Bozo Biskupic held on November 12th, the Pula Film Festival Council the programme and financial report of the 57th Festival submitted by artistic director Zlatko Vidackovic and festival director Zdenka Viskovic-Vukic were adopted unanimously.

The 57^th Festival lasted for 16 days. 11 films were presented as part of the National Programme, out of which 4 in the new competition section of minority co-productions. The number of viewers of the Europolis-Meridians International Programme at Kastel was doubled and the total number of visitors reached the record of 73 555. To this sum we should also add the 4 003 viewers that saw the films from Pula at satellite screenings at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, Split Summer Festival, Osjek Summer of Culture, Amadeo Stage in Zagreb, Zadar Snova International Festival of Contemporary Theatre and Sibenik Summer of Culture. The 57^th edition of the Festival can boast of the largest number of visitors and satellite screening since Croatian independence.

The Pula Film Festival has launched its own video channel on the world’s most popular video-sharing website - You Tube. Apart from the Festival’s opening credits, promotional video and the Kulturist promotional video for the, on this website you can also find trailers for all films from the last year International Europolis-Meridians Programme. The Festival shall continue to upload trailers for films from all categories as soon as they get introduced to the Festival programme.

The channel is available at: http://www.youtube.com/user/pulafilmfestival