The usual five-day format to offer many films, concerts and varied art program • First-time screening of a film whose author is fighting in a war

Hard times could never deter Motovun Film Festival from putting up its big screens on our favorite Film Hill and showing a brighter side of life while addressing the daily injustices of this world. We will do it once again this summer, from 26–30 July, in our usual five-day format full of films, concert and easy-going atmosphere.

“It’s hard to maker a happy-go-lucky festival in unhappy times. Or is it the very thing we need? Our programmers are doing their best to pick out the films showing a better world – films with emotions, joy and humor. But at the same time, we’ll be showing – for the first time ever – a film the author of which is fighting in a war as we speak. This is such a painful reminder of the time we live in,” said festival director Igor Mirković.

The film’s director, Oleg Sentsov, who spent five years in Russian prisons after the annexation of Crimea, is now fighting in the ranks of the Ukrainian Army. His detective story Rihno is not about war, but the director’s fate bears witness to the times we live in.

Milena Zajović, Inja Korać and Jurica Pavičić, our programmers, have come up with a lineup of the best indie films from all over the world, bursting with hits from various festivals. Some are dealing with sore subjects, others look at brighter sides of life. This year, the focus will be on Swedish cinema; its films have won awards in Motovun and left indelible mark on the festival. The festival program will be announced in late June and advance tickets go on sale on 20 June.

As usually, Motovun Short Film program has attracted great attention. There were as many as 728 submissions from 69 countries and our programmer Inja Korać will pick out 25 for the competition program. The winner of Motovun Shorts will compete for European Film Awards and Best Croatian Short Film will receive CORTO MONTONESE Award.

The warmup for the festival will take place on one of neighboring hilltops again, this time in Buje. The town will host an attractive program of children and youth films. The festival will hit the road once again, showing the films from the festival program in Istria and the rest of Croatia, culminating with Motovun in Zagreb program in Lauba Center in the capital.

All in all, film lovers and hedonists in Motovun and throughout the country can start rubbing their hands.