Zlatko Vidačković is once again the artistic director of Pula Film Festival this year. Just prior to the 64th Pula Film Festival, we talked to him about the novelties in the programme of this year’s edition of the longest-running film festival in the region.
What will this year’s Festival present?
The 64th Pula Film Festival has the largest Croatian Programme to date, with fifteen feature length films, of which half will have their premieres at the Festival. It is interesting to note that half of the films were made as independent productions, and the other half through public calls of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC), bearing witness to the liveliness and resilience of the independent scene, which HAVC luckily assists with subsequent post-production supports. Without this synergy, Croatian cinematography would be more modest both in its quality and its quantity; and let us not forget the numerous independent award-winners from Pula (Mondo Bobo, Fine Dead Girls, Alive and Dead, What Iva Recorded, and others). Other than that, we will be presenting ten minority co-productions, including several independent productions.
What novelties does the programme bring?
This year’s Festival will present its most abundant edition of Short Pula yet, with three new competition categories: drama series, documentary series and trailers for feature films. We also have three new competition categories: short and mid-length documentary films, animated films and experimental films. The Short Pula Programme has been expanded to include Croatian films of all types, which means that Pula Film Festival represents the best of Croatian audio-visual production as a whole. Introducing TV series into the programmes of film festivals is a world trend, as proven by this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
The 64th Pula brings the most comprehensive International Programme to date
That is correct. In the most comprehensive In the most comprehensive International Programme of Pula yet, 27 feature films will be presented in one week (directed by Kaurismäki, Lee, Tornatore, Wajda, and other eminent directors), as well as 19 short films and a pilot TV series Feud – Bette & Joan. The competition programme of European and world film, Europolis – Meridians, will offer a selection of high-quality accomplishments from world film festivals. A special selection of European and independent films will be screened at the Kaštel from 5 August to 11 August. These are genre films from around the world, suitable for a wider audience and a more casual atmosphere of summer nights under the stars, which will have evening pre-premiere screenings at the Valli Cinema during the Festival
Pula Film Festival also has a new venue for screenings this year
Yes, films for the youth have moved to the beach: the programme Cinema by the Sea will present films for younger audiences, at the unique location of the Ambrela Beach; and we are also continuing with the international programme of student film and the children’s programme Pulica.
The Cinematheque Programme will mark 60 years of artistic work of the great director Antun Vrdoljak, who first appeared in film as an actor in Nikola Tanhofer’s 1957 film It Was Not in Vain. Four adaptations of Croatian literary works, directed by Antun Vrdoljak, will be screened as part of Cinematheque.
In the span of one week, as many as 170 films will be screened at 6 locations, and it is my great pleasure to be able to mark my return to the position of artistic director with this celebration of films for all generations!
