Fifth Day of Pula Film Festival Marked by Industry Programme and Screenings of High on Life and Kick and Scream

Fifth Day of Pula Film Festival Marked by Industry Programme and Screenings of High on Life and Kick and Scream

Two films in competition in the Croatian Programme were screened yesterday at the Arena: High on Life, directed by Radislav Jovanov Gonzo and Kick and Scream, directed by Nina Violić.

High on Life, directed by Radislav Jovanov Gonzo, is a story set in the early 2000s. Oleg, Febra, Mišo, Danko, Zorka, and Biba were inseparable in their twenties, already eternal students and unencumbered by what the future holds. When they used to hang out, it was always, without exception, at Oleg’s place – where they found their second home, their safe haven, relief, peace. Today, some twenty years later, Oleg is dead and his sudden death brings them all together again.

Kick and Scream, directed by Nina Violić, talks about the last moments of fun, tenderness, and absurdity before the break-up of a family. While the parents are caught up in mutual resentment and blame-shifting, their six-year-old son creates his own world through play. Everyone has their own truth, whose will you believe?

On Wednesday, 13 projects were presented in the Work in Progress Programme to a three-member jury: Osnat Bukofzer, Daniela Cölle and Oliver Neumann. The pitch included mostly Croatian productions, with six minority co-productions currently in postproduction. The pitch was three hours long and had a 10-minute break, and was moderated by Ljubo Joseph Lasić.

The presentations were limited to 15 minutes, and the pitch had to include both a video clip or trailer, and all other visual material or presentation. A part of the pitched projects have already been shot and need postproduction funds, while some are still developing screenplays or raising funds to start or continue with the shoots. It is interesting to note that some of the authors (or teams) noted that they have invested their own funds into and are looking for funds to finish their projects or bring them to a higher level of quality. Some of the presentations were very vidid and attracted a lot of interest, laughter and have even moved the large audience and participants. The projects presented were: Ana (Anđelo Jurkas), The Wrath of God (Kristijan Milić), Diary of Pauline P. (Neven Hitrec), Pula (Andrej Korovljev), Seventh Heaven (Jasna Nanut), Shadow of the Mediterranean (Ivan Jović), Sweet Simona (Igor Mirković), Death of the Little Match Girl (Goran Kulenović), The Stigmas (Zdenko Jurilj), This Is Not a Love Song (Nevio Marasović), Lunatic (Igor Šterk), What’s To Be Done? (Goran Dević), Sweet Sorrow (Kosta Đorđević).

Before the screening of High on Life at the Arena, the awards were presented to the projects that were pitched earlier in the day. The first prize was presented to the project What’s To Be Done?, directed by Goran Dević, the second prize to the film Seventh Heaven, directed by Jasna Nanut, and the third prize to the film This Is Not a Love Song, directed by Nevio Marasović. In a brief explanation, Oliver Neumann said that all of the pitched projects are worth developing, and that he is sorry the jury cannot support more projects, but he is extremely glad that one of the awarded projects is by a female director.

The film Sun, directed by Kurdwin Ayub, was screened at Valli Cinema; and at Kaštel, the 1927 silent film Berlin: Symphony of a Great City, directed by Walter Ruttman, was screened in the Film Classics Programme with original music performance by Chui. The horror Speak No Evil, directed by Christian Tafdrup, was screened in the Special Screenings Programme, and the youngest audience has the chance to enjoy the film Oink, directed by Mascha Halberstad, which was screened at the Istrian National Theatre in the Pulica Programme, as well as the films in the Student Programme. The film Carajita, directed by Silvina Schnicer and Ulises Porre, was screened in the Dizalica Programme at Ambrela Beach.

Two films in competition in the Croatian Programme will be screened this evening at the Arena: Savages, directed by Dario Lonjak, and Illyricvm, directed by Simon Bogojević Narath. The films Freaks Out, directed by Gabrielle Mainetti, and the film The Blind Man Who Did Not Watn To See Titanic, directed by Teemu Nikki, will be screened at Valli Cinema, and the films Let it Be Morning, directed by Eran Kolirin, will be screened at Kaštel. The film Mamma Moo Finds Her Way Home, directed by Christian Ryltenius and Tomas Tivermark, will be screened at the Istrian National Theatre in the Pulica Programme, as well as the special screening of the film Orchestra, directed by Matevž Luzar, and the Student Programme, while the film Sun, directed by Kurdwin Ayub will be screened at Ambrela Beach.

The programmes, as well as the detailed schedule of screenings and all other information can be found on the official webpage of the Festival: www.pulafilmfestival.hr.