WOMEN IN EUROPEAN AND CROATIAN FILM
HGK 2, July 10th at 16:00
A presentation of the report on gender equality produced by the European Women’s Audiovisual Network (EWA) carried out in collaboration with national and regional film funds and universities across seven European countries: Austria, France, Croatia, Italy, Germany, Sweden and United Kingdom. EWA’s seven-country study finds significant under-representation of female directors in all stages of the production and distribution process: there is a considerable fall-off in the proportion of women graduating from film schools and entering the film industry (44 %) and the overall proportion of female directors working in the industry (24 %). Only one in five films is directed by a woman (21 %) and the vast majority of public funding resources (84 %) go into films that are directed by men.
The report will be presented by Holly Aylett form Birkbeck College (University of London) and the head of research; Francine Raveney, former executive director of EWA and Sanja Ravlić, Croatia’s representative to Eurimages and President of the Eurimages’ Gender Equality Working Group.
CROATIAN FILM - ONLINE!
HGK 2, July 11th at 11:00
For quite some time now we have been seeing the need to have all the basic information about the present and the history of Croatian film in one place, in an online database, available in at least one foreign language. Several entities have such databases, namely the Croatian Film Archives, Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Croatian Film Association, Croatian Radiotelevision and others. However, they are either fragmented or not publicly available. The aim of this initiative is to create a single attractively designed database in Croatian and English, comprising film synopses, lists of crew, photographs and (if possible) video excerpts, posters, musical excerpts, information on festivals, awards, etc.
Aware of the ambitious scope of the project and its necessity, we would like to start with this round table. Our aim is to open the discussion of the contents, criteria, deadlines, financing and other details of the project.
25 YEARS OF CROATIAN FILM
HGK 2, July 13th at 16:00
Much has changed in terms of Croatian film since the first written history of Croatian cinema Between the Audience and the State by Ivo Škrabalo (1984) and its extended edition 101 Years of Film in Croatia from 1998 were published. Among other things, film industry has managed to free itself from the direct influence of the state but with time Croatian film has been left both without movie theatres and the audience. At the same time, it has continued the search for its own identity surrounded by the film industries of the former Yugoslav republics and the European context, testing its creative and production capacities before a declining domestic audience and at international festivals.
The 63rd Pula Film Festival will mark the 25th anniversary of film industry in independent Croatia in many different ways, among other things, with a retrospective of best films according to the decision of all national film associations and a round table focusing on the first 25 years of cinema in the independent country in collaboration with the Croatian Society of Film Critics. We have invited filmmakers, film critics and film scholars to talk and discuss the following topics and issues. Results of the last survey on best Croatian film in the last 25 years: what are some unchanging features and what has changed in the last quarter century of cinema in independent Croatia? What films have been acclaimed by domestic audience, what by critics and what by international public? What conclusions can be drawn when comparing the results of the survey, viewer ratings and festival awards? Can it be stated that today we finally have a film industry and not just individual films? Is there any continuity between Croatian cinema of the Yugoslav period and Croatian cinema in the independent country? The question of representation or building identity through film and a (distinctive) identity of the national film industry itself, comparison with distinguished national film industries, particularly those from the region (Rumania, Greece, Hungary, etc.). New Croatian film in the post-Yugoslav context: differences and similarities in style. New Croatian film in comparison with the proclaimed guidelines and aspirations of the “young Croatian” film from the 1990s. The status of the older and most recent Croatian film heritage in the digital era. How to develop new audiences of the new film? Does the current Croatian film need critics? How and on what basis can its critical and public reception be (re)constructed?
CHILDREN'S AND YOUTH FILMS AT FILM FESTIVALS
HGK 2, July 15th st 16:00
Croatian Film Festival Network
In the past two decades, film festivals started to flourish in Croatia. Today, there are more than sixty of them. Apart from classical movie theatres, they also take place on beaches and hilltops, in castles, at city squares, in swimming pool centres, in the Roman amphitheatre, in the woods and on many other interesting locations. For the third consecutive year, the Pula Film Festival, one of the ten oldest film festivals in the world, and by far the oldest one in Croatia, has been organizing the encounter of the most important Croatian film festivals in order to encourage cooperation, discussion about common problems and individual development plans. On the two previous occasions we talked about the relationship between festivals and distributors, financing, (un)importance of showcasing premiere titles and about how film festivals can lead to better box office results for independent films in regular cinema programmes all year round.
Several years ago some festivals became aware of the importance of focusing on children and young people and now they already have traditional programmes for that target group. A small number of festivals went one step further and launched new specialized festivals and revues where films for children and young people are in the spotlight and not just a part of side programmes. This is inarguably one of the freshest and possibly one of the most important topics on the Croatian festival scene and the encounter in Pula will enable organizers and artistic directors to share their experiences with respect to their work with children and young people about the educational elements of their programmes, selection methods, etc. This will serve as a foundation for development to those exploring that area and thinking about opening their door to future audiences.
The representatives of the European Children’s Film Association, whose board member Tanja Miličić also serves as Pula Film Festival’s Artistic Advisor, will come to Pula to support the idea of the importance of new audience development. Last year’s participants of the Professor Balthazar’s Adventure Laboratory workshop are the authors of the official jingle of the mentioned most relevant European children’s film institution with more than one hundred members.
The following festivals will participate: Animafest Zagreb, Avvantura Film Festival – Film Forum Zadar, Croatian Film Days, Mediterranean Film Festival Split, New Film Festival Split, Tolerance Festival, Motovun Film Festival, Vukovar Film Festival, Zagreb Film Festival, ZagrebDox, 25 FPS.
