hrvatski
The following films will be screened in the national competition programme:
1. Buick Rivera by Goran Rušinović
2. Kino Lika by Dalibor Matanić
3. Will Not End Here by Vinko Brešan
4. Behind the Glass by Zrinko Ogresta
5. Three Stories about Sleeplessness by Tomislav Radić
6. Remember Vukovar by Fadil Hadžić
7. No One’s Son by Arsen Anton Ostojić
Apart from the traditional screening at 09:30 pm in the Arena, the programme shall also be presented to the press at the Cinema the same day at 10:00 am.
The 55th National Programme brings seven films by some of the most awarded Croatian directors, out of which as many as six winners of the Grand Golden Arena: Vinko Brešan (for Marshal Tito’s Spirit and How the War Started on My Island), Zrinko Ogresta (for The Washed Out and Here), Dalibor Matanić (for Fine Dead Girls), Goran Rušinović (for Mondo Bobo), Tomislav Radić (for What Iva Recorded), and indestructible Fadil Hadžić (for Official Position). These authors shall compete with Arsen Anton Ostojić, the director of the most awarded new Croatian film A Wonderful Night in Split.
These authors adapted three original film scripts – Behind the Glass (directed by Ogresta, written by Lada Kaštelan), Three Stories about Sleeplessness (Radić), and Remember Vukovar (Hadžić) – but also four fiction or drama bestsellers – No One’s Son (Ostojić) and Will Not End Here (Brešan) based on plays written by Mate Matešić, Kino Lika (Matanić) based on a collection of short stories by Damir Karakaš and Buick Riviera (Rušinović) based on a novel by Miljenko Jergović.
55th Pula Film Festival
NATIONAL COMPETITION PROGRAMME – submitted features
1. Buick Riviera
(Croatian title: Buick Riviera)
Psychological thriller by Goran Rušinović about two emigrants from Bosnia and Herzegovina whose meeting in the U.S. turns into the one of mutual accusations…
Starring: Leon Lučev, Slavko Štimac, Aime Klein
World premiere
Croatia, 2008, 85’, 35 mm
Production company: Propeler film (in cooperation with Croatian Radio Television – HRT)
Producer: Boris T. Matić
Co-producers: Vanja Sutlić, Kate Barry, Helmut G. Weber, Thomas Springer, Ademir Kenović, Pjer Žalica, Dorin Razam-Grunfeld
Directed by: Goran Rušinović
Written by: Goran Rušinović, Miljenko Jergović
Cast: Leon Lučev, Slavko Štimac, Aime Klein
Camera: Igor Martinović
Editing: Vlado Gojun, Miran Miošić
Set design: Tommaso Ortino
Costume design: Rabiah Troncelliti
Music: Branislav Živković
Sound: Josef Steinbϋchel
SUMMARY: Bosniak Hasan and Serb Vuko are two emigrants from Bosnia and Herzegovina. They both left their country because of the bloody war in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s in search of happiness and a new start on American soil. On a fateful night Hasan and Vuko meet on a deserted road in the central part of the U.S. An incomprehensible force makes them spend the next 24 hours together, which triggers a psychological game of mutual accusations that will change their lives forever, just like the war and the post war period they fled from…
Photo Gallery
2. Kino Lika
(Croatian title: Kino Lika)
Drama by Dalibor Matanić about three people from an isolated mountain village whose personal tragedies are not touched by the referendum on the accession to the European Union…
Starring: Krešimir Mikić, Areta Ćurković, Ivo Gregurević
World premiere
Croatia, 2008, 122’, 35 mm
Production company: Kinorama d.o.o.
Producer: Ankica Jurić Tilić
Co-producers: Vanja Sutlić, Miro Barnjak
Directed by: Dalibor Matanić
Written by: Dalibor Matanić, Milan F. Živković (based on the collection of stories by Damir Karakaš with the same name)
Cast: Krešimir Mikić, Areta Ćurković, Ivo Gregurević, Jasna Žalica, Nada Gaćešić-Livaković, Dara Vukić-Vrca, Marija Tadić, Danko Ljuština, Milan Pleština, Milivoj Beader, Damir Karakaš
Camera: Branko Linta
Editing: Tomislav Pavlic
Set design: Željka Burić
Costume design: Ana Savić Gecan
Music: Jura Ferina, Pavao Miholjević
Sound: Dubravka Premar, Gordan Fučkar, Mladen Pervan
Makeup: Mojca Gorogranc
SUMMARY: An isolated mountain village is the only home place of a young football player, an avaricious farmer and an obese girl. Burdened with their own personal problems the three of them don’t pay attention to the referendum on their country’s accession to the European Union. Testing his father’s love, the young football star who accidentally killed his mother does not want to join a rich foreign football club. While the girl desperately longs for a lover, the avaricious farmer reveals what actually leads towards true misery…
Photo Gallery
3. Will Not End Here
(Croatian title: Nije kraj)
Romantic drama by Vinko Brešan about a private investigator that comes in contact with a porno actress whose war history is linked to his.
Starring: Ivan Herceg, Nada Šargin, Predrag Vušović
Croatia, 2008, 100', 35 mm
Production company: Inter film (in cooperation with HRT, Vans and Eurimages)
Producer: Ivan Maloča
Co-producer: Vanja Sutlić
Directed by: Vinko Brešan
Written by: Vinko Brešan, Mate Matišić, Živko Zalar (based on plays Žena bez tijela and Sinovi umiru prvi by Mate Matišić)
Cast: Ivan Herceg, Nada Šargin, Predrag Vušović, Ingeborg Appelt, Dražen Kühn, Voja Brajović, Leon Lučev, Mladen Vulić
Camera: Franjo Moguš
Editing: Sandra Botica Brešan
Music: Mate Matišić
Sound: Marton Jankov-Tomica, Ranko Pauković
Makeup: Sandra Ivatović
SUMMARY: Martin is a private investigator and a War of Independence veteran whose life changes when he recognizes the starring actress Desa in a Serbian porn film. Going through a war secret, Martin goes in search of her. His quest brings him to Đuro from Pitomača, also a porn star, who travels with him to Belgrade to find Desa. Convinced that Martin is her new pimp who will take her to Croatia for work, the young woman never suspects who her benefactor actually is…
Photo Gallery
4. Behind the Glass
(Croatian title: Iza stakla)
Drama by Zrinko Ogresta about a love triangle whose participants experience personal struggle between their real and fictitious lives...
Starring: Leon Lučev, Jadranka Đokić, Daria Lorenci
Croatian premiere
Croatia, 2008, 80', 35 mm
Production company: Inter film (in cooperation with HRT)
Producer: Ivan Maloča
Co-producer: Vanja Sutlić
Directed by: Zrinko Ogresta
Written by: Lada Kaštelan, Zrinko Ogresta
Cast: Leon Lučev, Jadranka Đokić, Daria Lorenci, Anja Šovagović-Despot, Božidarka Frait, Nina Violić, Dara Vukić, Boris Svrtan, Krešimir Mikić, Bojan Navojec, Trpimir Jurkić
Camera: Davorin Gecl
Editing: Josip Podvorac, Vladimir Gojun
Set design: Tanja Lacko
Costume design: Željka Franulović
Sound: Bernarda Fruk-Mišković, Tomo Fogec, Zbynek Mikulik
Makeup: Slavica Šnur
SUMMARY: Fake life and apparent order are barely sustained in a chaotic mess of three people and their environment. Structured in five days the story depicts the love triangle of a man and two women by means of numerous events apparently interconnected with characters. Apparent order is broken in an unpredictable collision with their real lives…
Photo Gallery
5. Three Stories about Sleeplessness
(Croatian title: Tri priče o nespavanju)
Drama by Tomislav Radić about three intertwined life stories whose protagonists face loneliness and disappointment in Croatia and Spain…
Starring: Ecija Ojdanić, Rosana Pastor, Žuža Egrenyi
World premiere
Croatia, 2008, 80’, 35 mm
Production company: Korugva d.o.o. (in cooperation with HRT)
Producer: Tomislav Radić
Co-producer: Vanja Sutlić
Directed by: Tomislav Radić
Written by: Tomislav Radić
Cast: Ecija Ojdanić, Rosana Pastor, Žuža Egrenyi, Maria Almudever, Dario Marković, Marinko Prga, Jasna Ančić
Camera: Vedran Šamanović
Editing: Kruno Kušec
Set design: Ivica Trpčić
Costume design: Vjera Ivanković
Sound: Ivica Drnić
Makeup: Marija Bilić
Music: Drago Mlinarec
SUMMARY: First story. A young woman does not manage to fall sleep all night because of her baby crying and because of her mother-in-law reproaching about the causes of problems in her marriage… Second story. A married Croatian-Spanish couple goes through the toughest crisis in their marriage so far, aware that not even love can keep them together any longer… Third story. An aged woman eagerly waits for her guest from Spain who meets a young taxi driver in town…
Photo Gallery
6. Remember Vukovar
(Croatian title: Zapamtite Vukovar)
War drama by Fadil Hadžić about the killing of the people from Vukovar in the midst of the Croatian War of Independence and its witness, journalist Siniša Glavašević…
Starring: Hrvoje Barišić, Saša Anočić, Izudin Bajrović
World premiere
Croatia, 2008, 100', 35 mm
Production company: Alka film
Producer: Jozo Patljak
Directed by: Fadil Hadžić
Written by: Fadil Hadžić
Cast: Hrvoje Barišić, Saša Anočić, Ana Begić, Ankica Dobrić, Izudin Bajrović, Goran Grgić
Camera: Danijel Bakotić
Editing: Dubravko Slunjski
Set design: Ivo Hajon
Costume design: Branka Tkalčec
Sound: Damir Ključarić, Blaž Andračić
Music: Mate Matišić
SUMMARY: During the occupation of Vukovar in November 1991 the Yugoslav People's Army arrests a number of Croats preparing for the slaughter of the defenders of the city at Ovčara. Its leaders are particularly interested in finding and arresting Croatian Radio journalist Siniša Glavašević who has been informing the Croatian public and the world about the killing of civilians in the surrounded and destroyed town for months…
Photo Gallery
7. No One’s Son
(Croatian title: Ničiji sin)
Drama by Arsen Anton Ostojić about a former rock singer and disabled ex-service man who discloses a long-kept family secret by means of blackmail…
Starring: Alen Liverić, Biserka Ipša, Mustafa Nadarević
World premiere
Croatia, 2008, 100', 35 mm
Production company: Alka film
Producer: Jozo Patljak
Directed by: Arsen Anton Ostojić
Written by: Mate Matišić
Cast: Alen Liverić, Mustafa Nadarević, Biserka Ipša, Zdenko Jelčić, Goran Grgić, Daria Lorenci, Nikša Mrkšić
Camera: Branko Linta, Slobodan Trninić
Editing: Dubravko Slunjski
Set design: Velimir Domitrović
Costume design: Branka Tkalčec
Sound: Damir Ključarić, Blaž Andračić
Makeup: Irena Hadrović
Music: Mate Matišić
SUMMARY: Ivan is a former rock singer and disabled ex-service man who lost both legs in the Croatian War of Independence. While Ivan comes to terms with his destroyed marriage and an uncertain future, his father Izidor candidates for the parliamentary election. As a former political prisoner Izidor counts on victory. However, his campaigned is shaken by the arrival of the Serbian refugee Sime who arrested him in the past regime. Blackmailing Izidor with a secret from the past, Simo starts influencing Ivan as well…
Photo Gallery