If you ever climbed the most picturesque Istrian hill during Motovun Film Festival, you know you're in for great films and other programs. As oftoday, from 24-28 July, film lovers and other art fans will have an opportunity to enjoy a hundred independent films, exhibitions, performances, concerts, DJs etc.
The films are varied, and so is the entire festival program. Several exciting films will have their world premieres here. On Tuesday 24 July, Polish film Panic Attack will open the festival. It is the directorial debut of Paweł Maślona, who explores the dramatic moments in the lives of a few jinxed and unfortunate persons in a joyful way and using a unique blend of tragic and comical.
The program also includes several films dealing with topical issues. They will be presented by their authors.Styx by the Austrian filmmaker Wolfgang Fischer was entirely shot on a sailboat. It is about a physician who wants to sail around the world but encounters a sinking boat full of refugees. She wants to helps them, but realizes that humanity is but an illusion. In a story about the conservative revolution in the transition-period Poland, Once upon a Time in November, intellectuals become homeless. The plot alternates with the documentary footage of street riots in Warsaw. The film will be presented by its author, Andrzej Jakimowski.Danish film director Isabelle Eklöf will personally present her excellent debut,Holiday, which premiered at Sundance, raising dust due to explicit scenes of sexual violence.
This year's festival edition is also dedicated to two filmmakers detained by the Russian regime – Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov and Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov. Serebrennikov's film The Summer is based on a true story and includes elements of a musical. It is about the birth of rock 'n' roll in the Soviet Union. Speaking of films addressing music, we should single out here the politically controversial documentary film Matangi/Maya/M.I.A. about the life of the Sri Lankan rap musician M.I.A, who has come under criticism for her support to the Tamil Tigers, a movement led by her own father.
The long-awaited premiere of the documentary film Srbenka by Nebojša Slijepčević will also be shown. With the relevant international Doc Alliance Award by its belt, Srbenka follow the preparations and rehearsals for Oliver Frljić's stage play about the wartime murder of Aleksandra Zec, a little girl. The film crew will present the film.
Motovun Fim Festival is one of the very few festivals who managed to host the most intriguing European filmmaker Ruben Östlund. He will receive Motovun Maverick Award which is given for innovation and for pushing the boundaries of film. His film The Square, which won him a Golden Palm and received an Oscar nomination, is based on the eponymous artistic installation that will also be carried out in Motovun's loggia. It will be both a challenge and a game for the festival visitors.
Östlund is but one of the distinguished guests of the festival. This year's laureates of our 50 Years Award, Rade šerbedžija and Mustafa Nadarević, will also be joining us, and so will a number of Croatian and regional artists living and working in Berlin, this year's partner city of MFF. Interviews and discussions with all these guests will take place as part of our High Noonish program on the terrace in front of the hotel.
Thirteen Berlin-based artists will be presented by the Walls & Bridges exhibition – a story about a dialogue in the once divided city which has become a European artistic mecca of a sort. Together with the curator, Morana Matković, the artists will take part in a guided tour. Some of them will carry out their performances, too. This year’s festival jury also comes from Berlin. These are also Berlin-based filmmakers from other countries.
Motovun will be flooded by techno sounds: Berlin’s varied long-time electro scene will be presented by its protagonists – one of its founding fathers Mark Reeder; the initiator of the decades-long popular techno nights in Berlin clubs Corin Arnold; and house music star Ian Pooley. Croatian stars like Krankenšvester and TBF will also shake us up.
You can take a festival bus from Zagreb Bus Terminal on Day Zero and Day One. Tickets can be bought https://mfftransfer.kupiulaznicu.hr/. A bus from Pazin will also be leaving for Motovun daily during the festival, three times a day in both directions. Its time table can be found on the festival web pages. Important: the works on the Motovun – Livade road that have been going on in the past months will be suspended during the festival and access by cars and buses will be undisturbed.
The Night Screenings Set of tickets can still be bought. It enables you to watch all evening films shown in cinema Trg and Cinema Billy. You can buy them online using https://mfftickets.kupiulaznicu.hr/or at the selling point in Cinema Europa n Zagreb. Of course, you can also buy hem at the Festival Box Office in Motovun, but only on Day One. Buyers of this set will receive a free copy of the festival catalogue. They will also be entitled to stay at the festival camping site without having to purchase any additional tickets.
All roads to Motovun are open now. All you have to do is chose the right option and climb our Film Hill.
