The screening of Around the Clock and the SEEfest awards ceremony were attended by the Consul General of the Republic of Croatia in Los Angeles, Renee Pea, while the screening was accompanied by a Q&A with director Marina Musulin and producer Natalie Dech.

This marked the world premiere for the observational documentary, which was completed earlier this year as an Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb production.

“I am overjoyed and deeply touched that our film has won the main prize at SEEfest. I am especially pleased that the film has succeeded in communicating with a foreign audience and that its message, emotion and authenticity have been recognised. A big thank you to my entire film crew, Irena, as well as to all the women working at the fish market, without whom this film and this recognition would not have been possible. This is also their award”, said director Marina Musulin.

“It’s so gratifying when a film’s festival journey starts in this way. It is praise for us young filmmakers, and in this case, an ode to the workers of the Rijeka fish market, headed up by the wonderful Irena. We are looking forward to the upcoming screenings a little closer to Croatia. Thank you to SEEfest and the festival’s wonderful director Vera Mijojlić, thanks to whom Southeast European independent film has had the opportunity to be showcased before the American audience for twenty-one years”, adds the film’s producer Natalie Dech.

Around the Clock follows a single mother Irena and a group of women fishermen who face the exhausting rhythm of life in the hustle and bustle of Rijeka’s fish market on a daily basis, finding strength in mutual support, laughter and unwavering spirit.

The director of photography is Hrvoje Franjić, alongside production sound mixer Michel Mesarić, and editor Lucija Črnković. The sound and music were edited by Antonio David Perina, the colour correction was done by Luka Stjepanović, while Anastazija Savčukov created the film’s visual design. The documentary short was made at the graduate department of Documentary Directing at the Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb, with Tonći Gaćina as mentor.

In addition to Around the Clock, the feature Our Father by Goran Stanković, realised in co-production with Croatian company PomPom Film (co-producer Marina Andree Škop), received a Special Mention in the Best Cinematography in a Feature Film category. 

The South East European Film Festival (SEEFest) edifies audiences and promotes the cultural diversity of Southeast Europe through the annual screening of films from the region as well as year-round screenings and programmes. The festival also organises industry conferences and retrospectives, acts as a cultural hub and resource for professionals and filmmakers, and creates opportunities for cultural exchange between Southern California and Southeast Europe.