Despite the announced stormy weather, the 17th Motovun Film Festival was opened in a positive and relaxed atmosphere. The occasion was enhanced by the presence oft he President of he Republic of Croatia Ivo Josipović. Festival director Igor Mirković and journalist and writer Boris Dežulović opened the festival. Traditionally, the opening ceremony reflected the spirit of the festival – cheerful, informal, carefree and, first of all, interacting with audience.

In Motovun's main square, without chairs but with smartphones in their hands, the audience launched this festival's edition by filling the big screen with their selfies, designated with the festival opening hashtag. Mirković and Dežulović said the well-known sentence „The festival is hereby open“ together with two girls randomly picked from the audience – the authors of one of the photos from the big screen. As Boris Dežulović put it, „Cinema Trg is the only cinema where cellphones and social networks are welcome“.

After the good spirit of the festival had chased the real rain away, a different kind of rain started falling on the audience: shiny, silver paper bands fired from a gun. Igor Mirković invited the audience to dance in the rain at the sound of the famous evergreen „Singing In The Rain“. Among the first of those who joined the crowd on the dance floor was President Ivo Josipović, who danced with one of the journalists.

Two films were shown after the opening ceremony: Bad Hair and The Barbarians. The screenings took place outdoors, in Cinema Trg and Cinema Billy, and indoors, in Cinema Bauer and Even Smaller Cinema. Exceptionally, due to bad weather, admission to outdoors screenings was free for all MFF visitors.

The festival is now open and five days of cinematic pleasures are ahead of us, 277 meters above reality! Film Hill is awaiting you!