The Horizons (Orizzonti) programme is traditionally dedicated to films representing the latest aesthetic and expressive trends, with a particular emphasis on debut features. Among 19 feature-length titles from around the world is Jelena Maksimović’s directorial feature debut, Until the Day Ends, which is a Croatian minority co-production.

Set in Belgrade during the protests, the film centres on Lena, who is fighting for a world she believes can be changed. Her neighbour Stefan is torn between the life he wants and the forces pulling him to the other side of the protests. When they meet, they recognise a shared restlessness that neither can name.

The cast consists largely of non-professional actors whose performances bear traces of their own lives. The only professional actor plays Lena’s brother, whose actions set off a chain of impulsive decisions that shape her journey throughout the film, as stated in the director’s note on the Venice IFF website.

The screenplay was co-written by Jelena Maksimović, Ivan Salatić, and Olga Dimitrijević, while the director of photography on the feature is Paul Spengemann, alongside the editor Jan Klemsche.

Until the Day Ends is an international co-production between Taurunum Film (Serbia), PREMIERstudio Plus (Bulgaria), Staragara (Slovenia), Meander Film (Montenegro), Kelek Film (Germany), and Dinaridi Film (Croatia). The film’s producer is Jelena Angelovski, with co-producers Nikolay Mutafchiev, Miha Černec, Jožko Rutar, Dušan Kasalica, Ivan Salatić, Arda Çiltepe, Steffen Goldkamp, and Tena Gojić.

The film was co-financed, among others, by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.

The parallel Venice IFF programme, Venice Days (Giornate degli Autori), which celebrates its 23rd edition this year, presents 10 carefully selected titles in competition, distinguished by their innovation and originality. In addition to the films in competition, there is also one out-of-competition film, alongside two other special programmes (Special Events, Venice Nights).

Screening among the competition films is Italian director Nicola Sorcinelli’s feature film, Balcanica, which is another Croatian minority co-production.

Balcanica tells the story of Afghan refugees Jalil and his father Nazar, who travel the Balkan route towards Italy, in the hope of reaching a concert in a week’s time where they can play music again. Along the way, they are confronted with the choice of whether to give up or risk their lives in an attempt to cross the border.

The film was directed by Nicola Sorcinelli, who penned the screenplay with Andrea Brusa. The director of photography is Damjan Radovanović.

The film was produced by the Italian company Nightswim, in collaboration with co-production companies from Croatia and Serbia. The Croatian co-production company is Antitalent, with producers Katarina Prpić and Danijel Pek. The producers are Ines Vasiljević, Stefano Sardo, Sonia Rovai, and Ludovica Damiani. Snežana van Houwelingen also served as co-producer alongside Prpić and Pek.

The film was realised, among others, with the support of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.

This year’s Venice Immersive selection comprises 68 projects from 26 countries, of which 30 titles are in competition, including the animated VR film Eyes of Shame.

The story of Eyes of Shame follows fourteen-year-old Eyeless, who experiences a flood of suppressed memories during her stay in a hospital for troubled teenagers. Through VR animation, the film places the viewer in the emotional point of view of the protagonist, exploring memory, identity, and shame through an immersive cinematic experience.

The film was directed by Lithuanian director Tomas Tamosaitis and produced by Lithuanian studio Afterimage and French company Insomniak, in co-production with Croatian company Minya Film and Animation. The screenplay was written by Tomas Tamosaitis and Emmanuel Rouglan. The film’s artistic directors are Skirmanta Jakaitė and Tomas Tamosaitis.

The Croatian co-production was realised with the support of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.

The Croatian crew includes creative producer Miljana Dragičević, producer Sara Ćuzele Papata, 3D animators Alen Vuković, Dario Dominik Bagarić, and Joana Correia, and programmer Matej Berščaković.

The Venice International Film Festival is one of the most important festivals in the world, also accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) as an “A” category competitive festival.

The festival aims to promote all aspects of international cinema – art, entertainment, and industry – instilled with a spirit of freedom and dialogue.

More details about this year’s edition of the Venice International Film Festival may be found on the festival’s official website.

The festival runs from 2 to 12 September.