Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.croatiaweek.com
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Entertainment
(Photo: Samir Ceric Kovacevic)
The 24th Zagreb Film Festival (ZFF) begins on Monday, 9 November, bringing more than 100 films to cinemas and cultural venues across the Croatian capital, as well as online.
Running until 15 November, this year’s festival will open with a special screening of Rondo, the acclaimed 1966 film by Croatian director and screenwriter Zvonimir Berković.
The digitally restored version of Berković’s debut feature recently premiered at the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon. Its screening will mark the opening of a week-long programme featuring international award-winning films, emerging filmmakers and stories exploring contemporary social issues.
Among the highlights is Petty Thieves, the feature debut of Croatian director Mate Ugrin. The film explores the less visible side of tourism, focusing on insecurity, working pressures and the challenges faced by seasonal workers. It received the FIPRESCI Prize at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and will compete for ZFF’s main award.
Another major competition entry is Queen at Sea, directed by Lance Hammer and winner of the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Starring Juliette Binoche, Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall, the film examines the difficult personal and ethical questions surrounding ageing and caring for a parent with dementia. Calder-Marshall, who received the Silver Bear alongside Courtenay, will attend this year’s Zagreb Film Festival.
The main competition also includes Dua, by Kosovar director Blerta Basholli, whose previous film Hive was shortlisted for an Academy Award.
Set in Pristina, the film follows a 13-year-old girl entering adolescence as war breaks out. Drawing on the director’s own experiences of growing up during the conflict in Kosovo in the late 1990s, the film premiered at Cannes Critics’ Week, where it received the SACD Award.
Rondo
Coming-of-age stories are also represented by 17, the feature debut of North Macedonian director Kosara Mitić. Based on a true event that shocked the region, the film examines trauma, shame, silence and isolation, while also highlighting female solidarity.
The film, selected as North Macedonia’s official submission for the Academy Awards, won three prizes at the Sarajevo Film Festival, including the Audience Award and the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Actress. At ZFF, it will compete for both the main festival award and the PLUS Award, presented by the youth jury.
Another title in the competition is Oasis, directed by Jannis Lenz. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, the film follows a group of teenagers who retreat to a nearby forest after a humiliating incident at school, where they become involved in disturbing rituals.
The festival’s screenings will take place at Kaptol Boutique Cinema, Kinoteka Cinema, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MSU) and Cinema Surogat KIC. Selected films will also be available online through the festival’s official website.
Tickets cost between €6 and €7, depending on the screening and programme. Early-bird presales continue until 8 November, with tickets available at a €1 discount.
Online tickets can be purchased through the official ticketing website, while in-person sales begin on 9 November at Kaptol Boutique Cinema and Kinoteka Cinema. The MSU box office opens on 10 November.
Further information about the programme, screenings and ticket prices is available on the official Zagreb Film Festival website.
