The 63rd Pula Film Festival was officilly opened by the commedy All the best by Snježana Tribuson, in front of the traditionally crowded Arena, with a spectacular fireworks display and the unavoidable starry sky.
The inevitable spectacle of the opening ceremony of the national film festival in the Arena was witnessed by a large audience. The honour of presenting such an important event went to Barbara Kolar. After the impressive performance of the Croatian and Istrian anthem by the singer Jacques Houdek, the audience listened to the announcement of the Croatian Programme and watched the introductory short film about the 63rd Pula, directed by Denis Lepur and Marko Stanić.
Director of the Pula Film Festival Gordan Restović thanked all the institutions which made the Festival possible, all film workers for their contribution to the film art and to the Festival, all the Festival sponsors and friends and the Festival's biggest star, the audience, by inviting it to enjoy the rich film programme and the delightful film experience.
President of the Arts Council Hrvoje Pukšec said he believes that in the next seven days of the Festival everyone can find at least one film for themselves, within nine film programmes located at 15 locations and more than 135 film screenings.
"When you're doing a festival in the town of about 60,000 inhabitants, and have collected more than 60,000 visitors during the duration of the Pula Film Festival, you know that you are on the right track and are doing a good job.", said Hrvoje Pukšec and together with the members of the Arts Council, Tanja Miličić and Mike Downey, thanked the public and the profession for their great support.
The honour of opening the 63th Pula Film Festival went to Marta Mészáros who was awarded the Golden Arena for Lifetime Achievement. Marta Mészáros is the first woman to direct a film in Hungary, to win the Golden Bear at the Berlin Festival and she remains one of the most important European film directors. The Golden Arena for Lifetime Achievement was awarded to Marta Mészáros by the producer, deputy president of the European Film Academy and member of the Pula Film Festival Arts Council, Mike Downey and her great contribution to the film art was presented in a short film directed by Pula Film Festival.
Besides the words of the great Hungarian director, the Festival was officially opened by the inevitable firework display, which for a few minutes covered the usually starry sky of Pula.
The honour of opening the film programme at the 63rd Pula Film Festival went to the film All the Best by the director and writer Snježana Tribuson, whos premiere feature film Prepoznavanje was awarded with three Golden Arenas.
