The hot days of the late July are about to see yet another edition of Motovun Film Festival, during which this most beautiful of Istrian towns will become a center of indie films and unrestrained fun. This year even more so, because the festival will be celebrating its twentieth anniversary.

Each of the five festival days will be full of film screenings in five open-air and indoor theaters, from 10am till the early hours of the next day. The side program offers daily concerts and dancing in the streets and squares from dusk till dawn. Motovun will be bursting with activities 24 hours a day. Due to the legendary dragon’s lines intersecting underneath the town, the people there are always in good mood and full of energy. Hence the euphoria in its streets.

Every year, big screens, chairs, generators, computers, spotlights, loudspeakers and everything else required for a film festival find their way to the 227-meter high top of the hill, so that almost one hundred films from throughout the world could be shown in several programs.

What makes the MFF so special is its informal character. Its carpet is not red (well, there isn’t one, of any kind) and acclaimed filmmakers sit together with the audiences and mingle with the visitors, so you can always approach them and talk to them.

The best films are awarded: Propeller of Motovun goes to the best film, FIPRESCI Award goes to the best film by critics’ choice, Motovun Maverick goes to exceptional international authors and 50 Years Award celebrates the golden jubilees of Croatian filmmakers.

But the awards and competition are not the primary purpose of this festival. It will have served its real purpose only when a film shown on the big screen in the main square sucks the audience in its magical world. So, see you on Film

Hill in the summer!