What Does the 16thMotovun Film Festival Offer?
From the controversy called Pussy Riot and iconic Ulrich Seidl to Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf to the first trumpet of the world Džambo Agušev to Sigur Rós keyboarder Kjartan Sveinsson – all this is awaiting you t the 16thMotovun Film Festival. The program of the festival was presented at the press conference that took place in Lauba House this morning. The conference was opened by Festival Director Igor Mirković, who explained his hope that this year's edition of the festival would be an escape from reality for its visitors and a place where they could rest from the gloomy everyday life. Mirković said:In the year whenCroatiajoined the European Union we dedicate our main side program to the most numerous European minority – the Roma people. This is why our Motovun Free Zone now has its Motovun Mahala – with heaps of films, music, street events… In short, this year we decided to gladden your heart with films that are mellow and that can restore faith. We are particularly proud on our numerous unconventional and brave guests, led by this year's winner of Maverick Award – Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, most of whose works are forbidden in his native Iran.
The main program of the festival was also presented and possible additional surprise was announced. The program traditionally offers the best of independent film production, selected by Jurica Pavičić and Milena Zajović. Zajović pointed out that the thread running through this year's edition of the festival is good mood, which is why many comedies have been selected in the program. We will also have a chance to see two very topical documentaries by great Ulrich Seidl, who will visit the festival again:We have numerous cinematic attractions for you. First of all, we have theParadisetrilogy by the great provocative filmmaker Ulrich Seidl, the winner of the top recognition of our festival (Maverick of Motovun). He will be with us this year, together with the lead actress from his last film. We also have a few exceptionally interesting, provocative documentaries, includingPussy Riot(about the Russian female activist group of the same name) andFuck For Forest(about activists who sell their self-made porn films and photographs on the Internet to collect money for conservation of the Amazon rain forest). We are particularly glad that, in these depressing times, we can boast with more comedies than ever before. The most attractive ones include American black-and-white filmsFrances HaandComputer Chess, a punk-rock filmGood Vibrationsand a women's SF comedyCamille Rewinds. As regards the regional program, at this moment we can announceStrippingby Kosta Ă„Âorđević (a film that presents a whole new generation of Serbian filmmakers),A Strangerby Bobo Jelčić and Zdenka Gold (the latter being the former producer of MFF) andCowboysby Tomislav Mršić (an adaptation of an iconic play that has been on stage of Zagreb theaters for years without a stop). I would like to point out here that this is not all, because we are in no position yet to reveal a couple of major attractions that will certainly be talked about.
Motovun Film festival also presented its main side program, Motovun Romany Mahala, dedicated to the Roma minority, celebrating diversity, dealing with stereotypes and offering good fun. In addition to its film-related part, Motovun Romany Mahala includes musical program Roma Disco that includes daily concerts of some forty best Roma musicians inEuropeand the world's best trumpet player Džambo Agušev fromMacedonia. The second crucial aspect of our musical program is a result of the cooperation with Žedno Uho organization, supported by the festival's general sponsor Iskon. Nenad Borović of Žedno Uho presented the details of this program:Žedno Uho Club proudly announces that Iskon, the general sponsor of this year's Motovun Film Festival, has decided to join forces with of independent music and film in Croatia, connecting Žedno Uho and Motovun Film Festival. As a result, Žedno Uho@Motovun film festival will move to Motovun this July and will be one of the central musical programs of this year's edition of the festival. Our artists will guarantee all-night party every festival night.
Saša Kramar, the CEO of general sponsor Iskon, expressed his satisfaction with the continuation and improvement of the cooperation of MFF and Iskon:We are very happy to be able to support Motovun Film Festival once again, this time as the general sponsor. We are looking forward to getting together at Film Hill and enjoying this year's program.
Although Dean šoša, Editor-in-Chief of HTV 3, could not attend the press conference due to previous engagements, the MFF crew announced the media cooperation of HTV 3 and Motovun Film Festival. Given the fact that the profile of HTV 3 program perfectly corresponds to the artistic concept of Motovun Film Festival, a partnership with HTV 3 seemed like a natural and logical form of cooperation. This is why HTV 3 will air ten top MFF hits in the weeks preceding the festival. Also, it will cover the events on a daily basis during the festival. The bottom line of the press conference was that heaps of fun and heaps of films await the visitors on Film Hill. In the end, the flag of Motovun Free Zone was officially presented and the first official Motovun Free Zone passports were handed out. Glasses full ofbiska(Istrian mistletoe brandy) were raised to this year's edition of Motovun Film Festival – brighter and more unconventional than ever – that begins on27 July.
