At the Lunas bar of the Histria Hotel, Pula Film Festival held a press conference today, presenting the special events of this year’s side programme.
Festival director Gordana Restović spoke about the Pula PROfessional Programme, music programme, exhibitions and souvenirs, and novelties such as Pula Food Festival and the attractive screening venue for Cinema by the Sea - Ambrela Beach.
On behalf of the Public Institution Pula Film Festival, it is my great pleasure to be able to welcome everybody who is here today and thank you for coming to the final and most important press conference, where we would like to introduce the side programme of the Festival. In preparing for the 64th Pula Film Festival, we have had great support from both partners and sponsors from the economy sector, who have also made it possible for the Festival to keep developing and become a manifestation of considerable proportions. I am therefore especially pleased to be able to thank and welcome the hosts of today’s press conference, who have given us this beautiful space to use and have played an invaluable role in organising this conference: the CEO of Arena Hospitality Group d.o.o., Mr. Reli Slonim, director of the regional centre of Zagrebačka banka in Istria, Valter Šarić, deputy mayor Robert Cvek, director of Tourism Office Pula, Sanja Cinkopan Korotaj, and Lana Klingor Mihić of Pula Food Festival. The programme of the Festival is in itself a big challenge, as it is an open-air manifestation that endeavours to successfully provide both art and tradition. In that sense, I can say that we have achieved considerable quality and attractiveness of the programmes, Gordana Restović emphasised.
We will provide as much support as we can. I have been to many film festivals, and I can say this one is truly a special experience and the largest event of the tourist season, said Reli Slonim, CEO of Arena Hospitality Group d.o.o.
This year, Pula PROfessional is once again presenting a programme full of lectures, panel discussions, book promotions and meetings of professionals of the audiovisual industry. Then there is the Young Cinephiles Programme - bringing together 9 film enthusiasts who will follow the programmes of the Festival, write film reviews under the mentorship of esteemed film critic Tomislav Kurelec, and will also present the Young Cinephiles Award. The topic of the Pula PROfessional Programme is Promotion and distribution of Croatian and European Film. Mario Gigović is the selector of the complete 2017 Pula PROfessional Programme, which will run from 17 to 20 July at the Croatian Chamber of Economy and at Giardini.
There will be four lectures. Popular themes and subjects in European student film -guest lecturer Bert Beynes, GEECT president, will talk about his thinking and perceptions of the themes and subjects popular in recent European student film. Strategies for marketing The High Sun in Croatia and abroad: a case study - Dalibor Matanić’s The High Sun is a film with an extraordinary path at festivals, exceptional visibility, and significant international sales. Using this film as an example, we will show to what extent the strategy for marketing has helped this cause, and to what extent expert assistance and luck contributed. The lecture will be given by Ankica Jurić Tilić, producer with Kinorama. Film posters and the other hundred or so things - Using some twenty feature fictions films we have created designs for, we will talk about what is designed in which phase of film production, and why it is important to have systematic and continuous visual promotion. The lecture will be given by Marko Šesnić and Goran Turković, graphic designers with Šesnić&Turković (Croatia). Role of international cooperation and festivals in film promotion and distribution -Pula Film Festival welcomes Jelka Stergel, head of international relations and director of Festival of Slovenian Film, who has a lot of experience and expertise, and who will share her thoughts and advice on the role of international cooperation and festivals in the promotion and distribution of independent European film
The panel discussion focusing on Promotion and distribution of Croatian and European will see participation from: Barbora Ligasova (Czech Film Centre, Czech Republic), Dalibor Matanić (director, Croatia), Igor Saračević (editor, MAXTV Video Store, HT, Croatia), Sandra Perković (editor, RTS, Serbia), Anđela Petković (head of marketing and festival coordinator, Dexin Film, Serbia), and Barbara Jukopila (producer, U svom filmu, Croatia). The discussion will be moderated by Boško Picula.
The round table and Television as artists’ medium: Presenting the project New Collections (HRT - HTV3) will see participation from Branka Benčić, (Dunja Blažević TBC), Vladislav Knežević, and Tomislav Pulić. The moderator will be Vlatka Kolarović. The selection of New Collections is shown within Pula Film Festival side programme Cinemaniacs - Think Film, and the exhibition Video Television Anticipation at MMC Luka.
This year, book promotions will host a host of important authors and film theorists. Two new books will be presented, which are of great importance to the Croatian and European film community. The fist is a monograph on Nikola Tanhofer, one of the most important Croatian film authors, who has made a significant contribution to Croatian film with his artistic accomplishments. The second book is the new book by Nikša Svilinčić - Programiranje igranog filma 2, a sequel to the first book that intrigued the film public with its approach. And no wonder, seeing how Nikša Svilinčić tries to provide a scientific answer to the question of how to make a hit film, a film to win over audiences.
This year, the Festival will include five thematic exhibitions, at different locations. “PURPLE AND TURQUOISE - The Art of a Painting” by Predrag Peđa Milošević will open on 13 July at 9 p.m. at SKUC (Serbian Cultural Centre); “Ghosts of New York”, an exhibition of photographs by Jelena Vukotić will open on 14 July at 9 p.m. at Galerija Makina; Cinemaniac - Video Television Anticipation *New Collections* Desktop Cinema will open on 16 July at 8 p.m. at MMC Luka; “Film posters of the School of Applied Arts and Design Pula” will open on 18 July at 8 p.m. at the Valli Cinema; and the exhibition “Prazno/Empty” by Zlatko Kopljar will open on 21 July at 8.30 p.m. at MSUI (Museum of Contemporary Art of Istria).
The music programme has a total of 16 performances, and the audience will be able to enjoy in as much as 8 of those performances. From 15 to 22 July, DJ INNACA, Pavel, Abop, DJ Marino, Sara Renar, Pips, Chips & Videoclips, and Bang Bang will perform at the Circolo starting at 11.30 p.m, as well as Disco Night Powered, organised by TV Istria.
This year’s souvenirs will be diverse and interesting, and will also include natural oils of of popular scents. Fans, headwear scarfs, mugs, notepads/notebooks, mouse pads, pens, bags, T-shirts, NASHE solid perfumes, body oils and solid shampoo can be purchased from 8 to 22 July, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Festival Info Point at Giardini, and all year round at the Valli Cinema.
I am very glad that this year we can expect an extremely abundant programme at the 64th edition of Pula Film Festival. The Festival is today the most visited manifestation in Croatia, and rightly so; and I believe that the numerous audiences will enjoy the most beautiful cinema under the stars, Robert Cvek said.
Pula Film Festival is a special event, and traditionally transforms the city into the centre of film art and fun. The importance of this Festival is of great cultural and social significance to the city. Its popularity and the unique venue of the Arena has a powerful effect on creating the image of a destination, attracting a large number of visitors across all age groups and enriches the tourist offer of the city, and becoming the city’s trademark, Sanja Cinkopan Korotaj emphasised.
Pula Food Festival Powered by Pan, a large gastronomic manifestation will be held from 15 to 22 July 2017 in Pula, in Titov park. This one-of-a-kind project presenting street food is held as part of Croatia Week Festival, which is organised for the second year in a row, aiming to travel through Croatia and present the best of street food and bring a different way of eating to the citizens and the tourists. This year’s edition of this beautiful gastronomic tale will be held in cooperation with Pula Film Festival and will be an oasis of sorts for all visitors, participants and guests of one of the largest and most important film festivals of the region. I am very happy that the people in charge of Pula Film Festival have recognised our project and that our gastronomic tale will be a part of one the best film festivals in the region. During the film festival, Pula Food Festival Powered by Pan will offer all film lovers, actors, guests, visitors, and tourists an opportunity to enjoy the delectable food and chosen drinks and beverages at very affordable prices. I am sure that we will present ourselves in the best light, that we will enrich the festival nights, and that during the 8 days, the Food Festival will be a must place to visit for all those ready for new gastronomic adventures. We are looking forward to Pula, spending time together, and new challenges. I would like to take this opportunity to invite everyone to join us as our guests, and we will do everything we can to ensure that you find enough entertainment for you and your family in breaks in between films, Lana Klingor Mihić said.
