Zagreb Film Festival this year celebrates 5th anniversary, a small but meaningful anniversary of an influential film festival that overviews, beside internally acclaimed films, films coming from other ex Yugoslavian countries as well. Films, that usually in nowadays Croatia wouldn’t have place to be seen. In the spirit of this year’s presidential elections in Croatia, this film festival shows completely different reality from the reality usually presented in media today. It is one possible interpretation and a historical vertical or a possible matrix for finding a way out of a political media war labyrinth. Apart from the fact that the festival synchronizes with the current elections in Croatia, program appears not only logical and up to date, but also presents a discourse of a kind of an active dialogue festival in contemporary times, without the influence of political parties in Croatia. Judging by the audience, program this year reflects on film lovers of all ages, young and old. Over past five years organizers of the festival demonstrated capacity of having first class film rate, attracting a big city crowds into the movies. Zagreb once more becomes visible on the cultural map of Europe.

In the year 2007 Zagreb Film Festival’s opened a feature thriller film from Serbia “The Trap” by Srdan Golubovic and closed a feature film “I’m not there” by Todd Haynes about Bob Dylan. 5th celebration of a small anniversary of a Zagreb Film Festival brought 7 days, 7 programs, presenting over 80 films from 30 countries from all over the world, characterizing the festival as international, even though it represents the important overview of films coming from other ex Yugoslavian countries. It portrays feature films, short films, documentary films and (Croatian film) program called Checkers. As the part of program I should mention Films for children program and also an Old films, shown as ominous for world film masterminds who recently died: Michelangelo Antonini, Ingmar Bergman, and Robert Altman…

Eventually, Golden Pram for the Best Feature Film was given to a Russian film “The Banishment” (Best Actor Award of Cannes Film Festival and Russian Film Clubs Federation Award on Moscow International Film Festival) directed by Andrej Zvjagincev. Golden Pram for the Best Short Film was given to a film “ What do I know” directed by Bosnian Sheila Kameric and Timur Makarevic. Golden Pram for the Best Documentary Film was given to Israeli a “The Alpha Diaries” directed by Yaniv Berman. Golden Pram for the Best Croatian Film was given to Sara Hribars’ “Let me sleep”, And the special Audience Award was given to UK “Control” directed by Anton Corbijn, a film about Joy Divisions’ misfortunate gothic legend from 70s, Ian Curtis.


By Radmila Djurica