PRESS CONFERENCES BY CREWS OF In the Name of the Strawberry, the Chocolate and the Holy Spirit and Aleksi
Everything is ready for the start of the jubilee 65th Pula Film Festival, said director Gordana Restović at the press conference on the eve of the opening ceremony. The people of Pula love this Festival, they love film, and many go on vacation during the week of the Festival. Arena is the most beautiful film venue, a truly magical place. This year we have many guests coming, film crews; we have a rich side programme, there are workshops, book launches, etc.,” said Restović.
Zlatko Vidačković, the artistic director, said he selects films for the international programme independently. “I select genre films. The international programme differs from the national programme, and it will be screened in August as well, at Kaštel,” he added. Speaking about the selection of films for the Croatian Programme, Vidačković said he wanted to make sure the films are an artistic fit for the Arena - accommodating both the audience and the critics. “There are a total of 20 Croatian films, of which 11 at the Arena, and 10 in competition, he said, adding he is pleased with the ‘harvest’. Arena is also ready for today’s live World Cup final football match.
The first film of this year’s Festival is the short film In the Name of the Strawberry, the Chocolate and the Holy Spirit, by the young director Karla Lulić. It is a Croatian-French co-production resulting from a film festival in France. The director got the idea for the film when she read that the police stopped a priest who was driving with flashing lights on, and the priest said he was rushing to a funeral. “I wanted to come up with a story preceding this event, explaining why he is in such a rush to get to a funeral. That is how the story of the ice-cream as a symbol of priest temptation came about,” the director said at the press conference.
The film was shot at Svetvinčenat, with Goran Navojec playing the priest. “This was my first time playing a priest, and it was an interesting experience,” said Navojec, who has eyes for a character played by Helena Minić Matanić. “Short film is a demanding form, and it is unfairly neglected,” said the director, adding that she is satisfied with this form that requires high precision and creativity in a short period of time. Igor Galo plays the ice-cream salesman, and said that his work on the film was short, but very memorable and fun for him. Romain Valenbois from France was the production designer: “I played like a small child and had the best time. It was especially interesting for me to decorate the ice-cream shop, seeing how I usually make furniture and work in decorating. Also, Svetvinčenat was easy to work in, as we didn’t have to cover any signs, among other things,” he said. Vedran Živolić plays a local delinquent in the film. Speaking about future plans, he said he was open to all options. Karla Lulić concluded by saying she is currently completing another short film, and is working on two feature films.
The feature film opening the Croatian Programme is Aleksi by Barbara Vekarić. The sizeable film crew attended the press conference without the director, who said, in a written statement, that it is a ‘feel good’ film showing beautiful places, people and a girl who causes trouble while searching for herself, and that the film’s message is that we all make our own lives. The girl, Aleksi, is played by lead actress Tihana Lazović. “Aleksi is nearing her 30s, like I am, and is searching for her identity, like I am. It was therefore easy for me to get into character. This is a film the audience is going to love, and it is a film where there is no war,” Lazović said.
Aleksi’s partner Goran is played by Goran Marković, who said about his character: “He is a local boy, happy with his current situation, who wants to work in music.” He added that he finds Aleksi is interesting, but he wants a relationship under his conditions only.
Neda Arnerić plays a small, but impressive role of Aleksi’s mother. At the press conference, Arnerić said that Pula means a lot to her. “It’s been 30 years since I received the Golden Arena, and Pula Film Festival is as old as I am, with as many working years behind us,” she said, underlining that she has recently been more active in theatre than film.
Nataša Janjić plays Lea, a disgruntled wife and mother of four. “I am up to my neck in taking care of the children and being in a bad marriage. Aleksi would have shared my destiny had she stayed on Orebić,” she said about her character, happy that she got to act in her vernacular, and happy to have played the role of a mother for the first time.
Dragan von Petrović is the editor, who came on board when the director sent him the screenplay. “I read the screenplay, wrote down some comments, and got the job,” he said. Aleksi was shot for the big screen. After its screening at the Arena, it will be released in cinemas, and will later be aired on Croatian Radiotelevision. You can follow Aleksi and her life on Instagram as well.
All photographs from the announced programmes can be downloaded HERE.
