“Croatian cinema is undergoing an intense and exciting period of changes and generational transition. The old guard of accomplished directors continues to bravely portray predominantly relevant political issues. In contrast, a new generation of mainly female directors tackle the inner dramas within family relations and gender identities, bringing new voices and fresh cinematic approaches,” states the announcement of the Focus programme dedicated to Croatian film at this year’s 14th edition of Eastern Neighbours Film Festival which brings relevant cinema from Eastern and Southeastern Europe. 

The programme will present three full-length feature debuts: Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović’s Murina, Sonja Tarokić’s The Staffroom and The Uncle directed by duo David Kapac and Andrija Mardešić, as well as veteran filmmkar Branko Schmidt’s Once We Were Good For You.

The short fiction titles in the focus programme will include Soft Creatures directed by Ivana Škrabalo and Lana Barić’s Snow White.

A part of the programme is dedicated to documentary feature-length works such as Bigger Than Trauma by Vedrana Pribačić and Mirta Puhlovski, Srđan Kovačević’s Factory to the Workers, The Wire directed by Tiha K. Gudac and Love Around the World by duo Anđela Rostuhar and Davor Rostuhar. The focus programme also features medium-length documentary Bosnian Broadway by Jasmina Beširević and Ante Zlatko Stolica short dox Babajanja. A documentary classic, Krsto Papić’s documentary short The Special Trains (1972), will also appear in the programme.

All of these titles have been particularly well-received and awarded at domestic and international festivals in the past year, such as Cannes, Karlovy Vary, Locarno, Sarajevo Film Festival, Pula Film Festival, etc.

The programme description and the full list of films may be found here.

In addition to the focus programme, the ENFF will also showcase Dalibor Matanić’s The Dawn, which was shown at last year’s edition of the festival. The director will present the film live before the screening in Amsterdam. An interview published on the occasion is available on the following link.

As a part of the Festival’s special itinerant program, On Tour, there was also a screening of Croatian minority co-production May Labour Day directed by Pjer Žalica (Croatian co-producers are Lana Matić and Boris T. Matić of Propeler Film).

Eastern Neighbours Film Festival presents new and exciting films from Eastern and Southeastern Europe with the aim of bringing the cinematography and culture of these eastern neighbours closer to Dutch and international audiences.

The festival showcases films of various genres, from fiction and documentary to short and animated films, most of which are Dutch premieres. This year’s edition of the festival takes place 23rd – 27th November in The Hague, while the full programme will be announced in the upcoming weeks.