hrvatski
The Unknown
(La sconosciuta)
Giuseppe Tornatore’s thriller centres on a housekeeper who is convinced that the adopted daughter of the family she works for is actually her own...
Starring: Xenia Rappoport, Michele Placido, Claudia Gerini
Croatian premiere
Photo Gallery
Italy, 2006, 1h58, 35 mm
produkcijska kuća / production house: Medusa Film
producent / producer: Gianluca Passone
directed by: Giuseppe Tornatore
written by: Giuseppe Tornatore
cast: Xenia Rappoport, Michele Placido, Claudia Gerini, Clara Dossena, Margherita Buy, Pierfrancesco Favino, Piera Degli Espositi
cinematography: Fabio Zamarion
editing: Massimo Quaglia
set design: Paolo Bonfini
costume design: Nicoletta Ercole
music: Ennio Morricone
SUMMARY: Giuseppe Tornatore’s film centres on Irina (Xenia Rappoport), an immigrant from Moldova, who is trying to escape her traumatic past and find a new meaning of life in Italy. She gets a job as a housekeeper to a couple, Valeria (Claudia Gerini) and Donato (Pierfrancesco Favino) Adacher, and becomes close with their adopted daughter Tea (Clara Dossena). However, Irina does not perceive Tea as her employers’ child and a man who she thought was dead suddenly comes back into her life. Torn between love and death, Irina decides to pull some radical moves...
Lady Jane
Rober Guédiguian’s thriller centres on a woman who contacts her old partners in crime after her child is kidnapped...
Starring: Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gérard Meylan
Croatian premiere
Photo Gallery
France, 2008, 1h42, 35 mm
production houses: Agat Films & Cie production, France 3 Cinéma
producer: Robert Guédiguian
directed by: Robert Guédiguian
written by: Robert Guédiguian, Jean-Louis Milesi
cast: Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gérard Meylan, Yann Tregouët, Frédérique Bonnal, Pascale Roberts, Jacques Boudet
cinematography: Pierre Milon
editing: Bernard Sasia
set design: Michel Vandestien
costume design: Juliette Chanaud, Anne-Marie Giacalone
sound: Laurent Lafran
SUMMARY: Set on the verge of a peaceful family life and the underworld of Marseilles, Robert Guédiguian’s film, the title of which is inspired by the Rolling Stones’ song, portrays a mother desperately trying to save her son’s life. The protagonist is Muriel (Ariane Ascaride) whose life suddenly turns into a nightmare when she learns that her son has been kidnapped. Avoiding the police, Muriel seeks help from the two old friends, François (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) and René (Gérard Meylan). However, the trio does not share only friendship but also a criminal past that ended in tragedy. Chasing time, Muriel and her two accomplices embark on the most uncertain quest in their lives.
Lorna’s Silence
(Le silence de Lorna)
A crime drama directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne centres on a Belgian who marries an Albanian emigrant for money so that she could get citizenship…
Starring: Arta Dobroshi, Jérémie Renier, Fabrizio Rongione
Photo Gallery
Belgium, United Kingdom, France, 2008, 1h45, 35 mm
production houses: Les Films du Fleuve, Archipel 35, Lucky Red, RTBF, ARTE France Cinéma, ARTE/WDR
producers: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, Denis Freyd
directed by: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
written by: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
cast: Arta Dobroshi, Jérémie Renier, Fabrizio Rongione, Alban Ukaj, Morgan Marinne, Olivier Gourmet
cinematography: Alain Marcoen
editing: Marie-Hélène Dozo
set design: Igor Gabriel
costume design: Monic Parelle
sound: Jean-Pierre Duret, Julie Brenta, Thomas Gauder
SUMMARY: Tackling immigration in their home country Belgium once again, directors Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne portray a young Albanian Lorna (Arta Dobroshi) who plans to become an owner of a snack-bar to ensure a better future for them. However, mobster Fabio (Fabrizio Rongione) has different plans. He orchestrated a sham marriage between Lorna and Claudy (Jérémie Renier) so that she could obtain Belgian citizenship. But this is just the first part of Fabio’s plan. The unscrupulous crook wants to kill Claudy so that Lorna could marry a Russian Mafioso. Caught in the net of people who are willing to go any length, Lorna can save her life but sacrifice the life of an innocent man by keeping silent…
Empties
(Vratné lahve)
A comedy about love, adultery, and not coming to terms with retirement directed by Check Academy Award winner Jan Sverák…
Starring: Zdenek Sverák, Tatiana Vilhelmová, Daniela Kolárová
Photo Gallery
The Czech Republic, 2007, 1h40, 35 mm
production houses: Biograf Jan Sverák, Portobello Pictures, Phoenix Film Investments
producers: Jan Sverák, Eric Abraham
directed by: Jan Sverák
written by: Zdenek Sverák
cast: Zdenek Sverák, Tatiana Vilhelmová, Daniela Kolárová, Pavel Landovský, Miroslav Táborský, Jan Budar, Jíří Machácek
cinematography: Vladimír Smutný
editing: Alois Fisárek
set design: Jan Vlásak
costume design: Simona Rybáková
music: Ondrej Soukup
SUMMARY: Continuing the collaboration with his father, actor and scriptwriter Zdenek Sverák, director Jan Sverák describes family adventures in a humorous manner once again. This time the protagonist is a schoolteacher Josef (Zdenek Sverák) who retires but finds it difficult to come to terms with the new circumstances in his life. Refusing to live like other retired people do, he tries to find a new job. This does not prove to be an easy task until he takes a position at the bottle-return counter in a supermarket. While Josef starts the new job, his daughter is recovering from a divorce and Josef tries to find her the right match…
Happy-Go-Lucky
A comedy directed by Mike Leigh about a hyperactive girl whose good mood will be shaken by a paranoid driving instructor…
Starring: Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsen, Alexis Zegerman
Croatian premiere
Photo Gallery
United Kingdom, 2008, 1h 58, 35 mm
production houses: Thin Man, Summit Entertainment, Ingenious Film Partners, Film 4, U.K. Film Council
producers: Simon Channing-Williams, Georgina Lowe
directed by: Mike Leigh
written by: Mike Leigh
cast: Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsen, Alexis Zegerman, Andrea Riseborough, Samuel Roukin, Sinead Matthews, Sylvestra le Touzel, Kate O’Flynn, Sarah Niles
cinematography: Dick Pope
editing: Jim Clark
set design: Mark Tidesley
costume design: David Crossman
music: Gary Yershon
SUMMARY: Four years after the international success of a bitter drama about illegal abortions, Vera Drake, British director Mike Leigh returns to the comedy genre. His new hero is Poppy (Sally Hawkins), a young London teacher with an extremely cheerful and irreparably optimistic attitude towards life. Honest, kind-hearted, and hyperactive, she is a strong support to people around her, especially her workmate and best friend Zoe (Alexis Zegerman) and her tango classmate. After her bicycle gets stolen, Poppy decides to take driving lessons. Her instructor Scott (Eddie Marsen) is completely different from her. While Poppy starts questioning herself as a result of spending time with the instructor, social worker Tim (Samuel Roukin) gets a crush on her. However, this is not something that grumpy Scott is going to approve of…
The Girl Cut in Two
(La Fille coupée en doux)
A crime-romantic comedy directed by Claude Chabrol centres on a TV weather girl torn between two completely different men…
Starring: Ludivine Sagnier, François Berléand, Benoît Magimel
Croatian premiere
France, 2007, 1h55, 35 mm
production houses: Alicéléo, Rhône-Alpes Cinéma, France 2 Cinéma, Integral Film
producer: Patrick Godeau
directed by: Claude Chabrol
written by: Claude Chabrol, Cécile Maistre
cast: Ludivine Sagnier, François Berléand, Benoît Magimel, Mathilda May, Caroline Sihol, Etienne Chicot, Marie Bunel, Valeria Cavalli
cinematography: Eduardo Serra
editing: Monique Fardoulis
set design: Françoise Benoît-Fresco
costume design: Mic Cheminal
music: Matthieu Chabrol
SUMMARY: A new film by veteran Claude Chabrol about faithfulness and love displayed by people from different social classes centres on a young TV moderator Gabrielle. Famous as a weather girl, Gabrielle (Ludivine Sagnier) does not want to risk her peaceful private life, which she still shares with her mother, despite her ambitions. However, Gabrielle is attracted to a guest on the television station she works for, the renowned author Charles (François Berléand), married and twice her age. At the same time she has an opportunity to start a relationship with pharmaceutical heir Paul (Benoît Magimel), a hedonistic man of her age. Finding herself between two completely different men, Gabrielle has to make a difficult decision regarding her own future…
Romance of Astree and Celadon
(Les Amours d’Astrée et de Céladon)
A pastoral melodrama directed by Eric Rohmer centres on the love of a young couple in the time of the Druids…
Starring: Andy Gillet, Stéphanie Crayencour
Croatian premiere
Photo Gallery
France, 2007, 1h49, 35 mm
production houses: Compagnie Eric Rohmer (CER), Rézo Productions
producers: Françoise Etchegaray, Philippe Liégeois, Jean-Michel Rey
directed by: Éric Rohmer
written by: Éric Rohmer
cast: Andy Gillet, Stéphanie Crayencour, Cécile Cassel, Véronique Reymond, Rosette, Jocelyn Quivrin, Mathilde Mosnier, Radolphe Pauly
cinematography: Diane Baratier
editing: Mary Stephen
set design: Christian Paumier
costume design: Pierre-Jean Larroque
music: Jean-Louis Valero
SUMMARY: Director Éric Rohmer based his pastoral melodrama about love, jealousy and suffering on the 17th century novel L’Astrée written by French novelist Honoré d’Urfé. The protagonists are two young Gaelic shepherds from the 5th century, handsome Celadon (Andy Gillet) and his beloved Astrea (Stéphanie Crayencour), happily in love with each other. However, when a jealous swain lies to Astrea telling her that Celadon has been unfaithful to her, the girl leaves him. Heartbroken, Celadon throws himself into a river, but he is saved by a nymph who wants to have him all for herself. A Druid priest and his niece interfere, convincing Caledon to try and win his beloved Astrea back in quite an unusual way…
Look at Me
(Gledaj me)
A romantic thriller directed by Marija Perović centring on a girl searching for her teenage love…
Starring: Olga Pakalović, Mijo Jurišić, Andrija Milošević
World premiere
Photo Gallery
Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, 2008, 1h25, HD
production house: Katun Movies (in cooperation with Kvadar, Croatia and TV Atlas, Montenegro)
producer: Marija Perović
directed by: Marija Perović
written by: Marija Perović
cast: Olga Pakalović, Mijo Jurišić, Andrija Milošević, Branimir Popović, Mladen Nelević, Srđan Grahovac, Voja Brajović
cinematography: Dimitrije Joković
editing: Stevan Marić
set design: Ivanka Vana Prelević
costume design: Nevena Milosavljević
music: Nemanja Mosurović
SUMMARY: Director Marija Perović made a film about family violence, youth rebellion and love based on the novel Dječak iz vode (Boy From the Water) written by a young Montenegrin author, Ksenija Popović. The film opens up with a twenty-six-year-old Mina (Olga Pakalović) coming to a small place on the Montenegrin coast in search for her teenage love Andrej (Mijo Jurišić). Learning that the young man is in a mental institution, Mina remembers some tragic events that took place ten years ago. Back then Mina spent a summer at her friend’s house and met two nineteen-year-olds, Andrej and Saša (Andrija Milošević), who were planning to study for a degree in medicine. Pretty soon, in a whirl of family secrets and suppressed passions,the relationship between the three of them got complicated…
Love Life
(Liebesleben)
A romantic drama directed by Maria Schrader centres on an older man who seduces the daughter of his old acquaintances…
Starring: Netta Garti, Rade Šerbedžija
Croatian premiere
Photo Gallery
Germany, Israel, 2008, 1h25, 35 mm
production house: X Filme Creative Pool (in cooperation with Transfax Film, Bayerischer Rundfunk, ARTE)
producers: Stefan Arndt, Marek Rozenbaum
directed by: Maria Schrader
written by: Maria Schrader, Laila Stieler
cast: Netta Garti, Rade Šerbedžija, Tovah Feldshuh, Stephen Singer, Ishai Golan, Arie Moskana, Caroline Silhol, Assi Dayan, Clara Khoury
SUMMARY: German actress Maria Schrader, winner of numerous awards, makes her directorial debut with Love Life, adaptation of a novel of the same name by Israeli author Zeruya Shavel, in which Rade Šerbedžija plays the lead male role. This drama centres on a young and successful woman, Jara (Netta Garti), who, it seems, has everything in her life: she is happily married, she can always count on her family support, she has a successful university career, and lives in a beautiful flat. However, when she meets an old friend of her father’s, Arie (Rade Šerbedžija), her everyday life takes an unexpected twist. Drawn to this man, Jara starts an obsessive and passionate relationship, unaware of the fact that she is destroying her marriage and her future because her parents have kept from her a key thing about Arie…
In Love We Trust
(Zuo You)
A drama directed by Xiaoshuai Wang centres on divorced parents whose only chance of saving their daughter is by a bone marrow transplant from a new baby…
Starring: Liu Weiwei, Zhang Jiayi
Croatian premiere
Photo Gallery
China, 2007, 1h55, 35 mm
production houses: Qinghong Debo, WXS production, Stellar Megamedia, DUOJI Production
producers: Huang Bin, Isabelle Glachant
directed by: Wang Xiaoshuai
written by: Wang Xiaoshuai
cast: Liu Weiwei, Zhang Jiayi, Yu Nan, Cheng Taisheng, Zhang Chuqian
cinematography: Wu Di
editing: Yang Hongyu
set design: Lu Dong
music: Du Wei
SUMMARY: Are there limits when trying to save your own child’s life? This is what Xiaoshuai Wang explores in his new film, a family drama about divorced parents who are faced with the biggest challenge in their lives. Mei Zhu (Liu Weiwei) and Xiao Lu (Zhang Jiayi) share a failed marriage but they also share a beautiful daughter Hehe (Zhang Chuqian). Both of them now with new partners, they suddenly face a difficult challenge. Hehe is diagnosed with leukaemia and the only thing that can save her is a bone marrow transplant from her brother or sister. Hehe being the only child, her parents have to decide whether to conceive another baby in order to save her. Their personal dramas and relationships with their new partners revolve around this issue…
Horse Thieves / In the Arms of My Enemy
(Voleurs de chevaux)
A crime drama directed by Micha Wald, set in 19th century, centered on a young man who wants to avenge the cruel murder of his younger brother...
Starring: Adrien Jolivet, Grégoire Colin, François-René Dupont
Croatian premiere
Photo Gallery
Belgium, Canada, France, 2008, 1h25, 35 mm
production houses: Versus Production, RTBF, Inver Invest, Rezo Film, Forum Film
producers: Jacques-Henri Bronckart, Olivier Bronckart
directed by: Micha Wald
written by: Micha Wald
cast: Adrien Jolivet, Grégoire Colin, François-René Dupont, Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet, Corentin Lobet, Igor Skreblin, Mylène Saint-Sauveur
cinematography: Jean-Paul De Zaeytijd
editing: Susana Rossberg
set design: André Fonsny
costume design: Nadia Chmilewski
music: Stephan Micus, Jóhann Jóohannsson, Jef Mercelis
SUMMARY: In his feature-length debut divided into three sections young Belgian director Micha Wald explores the themes of brotherly unity, loss of the most loved ones, and whish for vengeance. Going back to the 19th century, Wald depicts the life of the young Cossacks who enlist in the army so as to escape poverty. There are two sets of brothers in the film, Jakub (Adrien Jolivet) and Vladimir (Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet) and horse thieves Elias (François-René Dupont) and Roman (Grégoire Colin), who cross each others’ paths. On opposite sides of a war, the brutal Roman kills Vladimir provoking Jakub’s rage. Jakub pledges to avenge Vladimir. In a community that does not show mercy or forgiveness, hate and violence can only lead to a new family tragedy…
The Elite Squad
(Tropa de Elite)
A crime/action film by José Padilha which tells the story of the special forces of the Brazilian police that fight against organized crime in a rather brutal way…
Starring: Wagner Moura, André Ramiro, Caio Junqueira
Brasil, USA, 2007, 1h55, 35 mm
production houses: Zazen Produçőes, Posto 9, Feijao Filmes, The Weinstein Company
producers: José Padilha, Marcos Prado, James D’Arcy
directed by: José Padilha
written by: José Padilha, Bráulio Mantovani, Rodrigo Pimentel
cast: Wagner Moura, André Ramiro, Caio Junqueira, Milhem Cortaz, Fernanda Machado, Maria Ribeiro
cinematography: Lula Carvalho
editing: Daniel Rezende
set design: Tulé Peak
costume design: Claudia Kopke
music: Pedro Bromfman
SUMMARY: Based on a book Elite da Tropa written by former police officers André Batista, Rodrigo Pimentel and Luiz Eduardo Soares, José Padilha’s film violently paints the clashes between law enforcement agencies and criminals. Focusing on the limits that are crossed in these clashes, Padilha gives a portrayal of Captain Nascimento (Wagner Moura), in charge of an elite police squad in Rio de Janeiro that fights against organized crime. Trying to find a new position as a trainer of new police recruits, Nascimento meets his two potential successors – young and enthusiastic Neto (Caio Junqueira) and Matias (André Ramiro), with completely different approaches to crime fighting...
O'Horten
Bent Hamer’s humorous drama centres on a retired train engineer trying to find the meaning to his new life…
Starring: Bård Owe, Espen Skjønberg, Henny Moan
Croatian premiere
Norway, Germany, France, 2007, 1h30, 35 mm
Photo Gallery
production companies: Bulbul Films, Pandora Filmproduktion
producer: Bent Hamer
directed by: Bent Hamer
written by: Bent Hamer
cast: Bård Owe, Espen Skjønberg, Henny Moan, Bjørn Floberg, Ghita Nørby, Kai Remlow, Trond Viggo Torgersen, Nils Gaup
cinematography: John Christian Rosenlund
editing: Pål Gengenbach
set design: Kalle Juliusson
sound: John Erik Kaada
SUMMARY: A new film from writer-director Bent Hamer comes to Pula after having been screened at international festivals in Cannes and Karlovy Vary. Well known for his humorous dramas centring on transience of life, the Norwegian filmmaker thrills his audience once again with a sharp and witty account of human struggling against loneliness and lack of understanding. The protagonist is Odd Horten, a newly fledged pensioner who has to find the meaning to his new life after retirement following 40 years of devoted work as a train engineer. Imbuing the story with the spirit of adventure and a philanthropic account of people that usually do not attract any attention, the author of the film promotes life optimism and faith in people no matter how critical of themselves they be. The lead role is played by excellent Bård Owe...
Scoop
A crime comedy with fantastical elements directed by Woody Allen centring on a young journalism student who searches for a serial killer with the help of the spirit of her famous colleague in London…
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Woody Allen, Hugh Jackman, Ian McShane
Croatian premiere
United Kingdom, USA, 2006, 1h36, 35 mm
production houses: BBC Films, Ingenious Film Partners, Phoenix Wiley, Jelly Roll
producers: Letty Aronson, Nicky Kentish Barnes, Helen Robin, Gareth Wiley
directed by: Woody Allen
written by: Woody Allen
cast: Scarlett Johansson, Woody Allen, Hugh Jackman, Ian McShane, Charles Dance, Romola Garai, Fenella Woolgar, Julian Glover, Victoria Hamilton
cinematography: Remi Adefarasin
editing: Alisa Lepselter
set design: Maria Djurkovic
costume design: Jill Taylor
sound: Peter Glossop
SUMMARY: After his untypical crime film Match Point Woody Allen goes back to acting and crime comedy genre with Scoop. Remaining on British soil and in company of Scarlett Johansson, the American director again deals with a combination of a crime investigation, paranormal phenomena, and witty dialogues and situations. The protagonist is an American journalism student, Sondra (Scarlett Johansson), who comes to London to interview a famous actor. However, she ends up at a magic show performed by Sid (Woody Allen), where she is approached by the ghost of a murdered journalist, Joe (Ian McShane) who persuades her to uncover a serial killer (Hugh Jackman), whom Joe had been following until his death.
Rebellion: The Litvinenko Case
(Bunt. Delo Litvinenko)
A documentary film directed by Andrej Nekrasov who gives his position on contemporary Russia and its recent history through Aleksandar Litvinenko’s murder...
Participating: Aleksandar Litvinenko, Andrej Nekrasov, Marina Litvinenko
Croatian premiere
Russia, 2008, 1h43, 35 mm
production house: Dreamscanners Gmbh
producers: Andrej Nekrasov, Olga Konskaja
directed by: Andrej Nekrasov
written by: Andrej Nekrasov, Olga Konskaja
participating : Andrej Nekrasov, Aleksandar Litvinenko, Marina Litvinenko, Ana Politkovskaja, Mihail Trepaškin, Natalia Lazareva, Alexandar Gusak, Andrej Ponkin, Andrej Lugovoi
cinematography: Martin Winterbauer, Sergej Cikanovič, Monika Preischl, Dmitrij Ogaj, Colin Rogal, Cedric Fontan
editing: Andrej Nekrasov, Olga Konskaja
music: Vadim Kulitski, Enno Toppinen
SUMMARY: The former FSB (formerly KGB) agent Alexander Litvinenko deceased in November 2006 in London, poisoned by radioactive Polonium-210. His longtime friend Andrej Nekrasov spent the last days of his life beside him, simultaneously working on a documentary about his life and the circumstances of his violent death. Using flashbacks and statements made by the protagonists of these events, Nekrasov linked the murder of his friend with turbulent political occurrences in Russia after the break up of the USSR, dramatically defined by democratic transition, years-long war in Chechnya, and Vladimir Putin’s coming to power after Boris Jelzin.