On Tuesday, September 9th, in the packed Edison Cinema, the 30th Youth Film Festival and the 18th Four River Film Festival, organized by the Croatian Film Association and Cinema Club Karlovac, co-organized by the Edison Cinema, were officially opened. This year’s edition of the Festivals runs from September 9th to 13th, and the five-day film event began with the screening of four short films: Fačuk by Maida Srabović, 1001 Nights by Rea Rajčić, Project Nika by Tadija Tadić, and Komorebi by Lucija Katarina Šešelj.
The films were screened as part of the Yellow Spotlight program, dedicated to young authors who made their first film steps at these very Festivals. The program delighted the audience and emphasized the importance of continuous support for young talents in developing their film careers.
The opening ceremony was held in front of a packed auditorium at the Edison Cinema. The director of the Edison Cinema, Ivan Gojmerac, addressed the gathered guests:
Exactly two years ago the Edison Cinema opened its doors again. It was a special event for all Karlovac locals, who could barely wait to return to this iconic cinema. Since then, great enthusiasm and dedication have been accompanying its work. It’s one thing to do a job just to get it done, and another to do it with passion and purpose. Although such work can be exhausting – it’s rewarding at the same time.
That’s why I want to congratulate Cinema Club Karlovac and the Croatian Film Association on the 18th edition of Four River Film Festival and the 30th edition of the Youth Film Festival. This means this group of people has successfully managed to keep up the same enthusiasm that draws in so many young filmmakers and audiences year after year.
Melita Trgovčić, Head of the Administrative Department for Social Activities of Karlovac County, offered words of support:
Karlovac is a city on four rivers, and thanks to this Festival, it has also become a city of film – a center of youth creativity and art. In Karlovac County, we are especially proud that this event not only lives right here, but also grows and develops from year to year.
Thank you to everyone who works tirelessly to make the Festival bigger and better every year. Dear young filmmakers, may your stay in Karlovac be inspiring, filled with new knowledge, friendships and memories that you will take with you.
Mario Jovković, President of the Karlovac City Council, drew attention to the roles the Festivals play in the City of Karlovac and Karlovac County:
It is particularly important to highlight the role that these Festivals play in our city. Four River Film Festival is celebrating its coming of age, and the Youth Film Festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Both Festivals are important symbols of our city’s culture – a gathering place for film professionals, film lovers, as well as the young, yet undiscovered talents. These roles always deserve our support and gratitude.
Katarina Milković, Director of the Education and Teacher Training Agency, addressed the audience next:
These Festivals attract young filmmakers from all over the world to the city on four rivers; filmmakers who have woven their creativity, emotions and enthusiasm into numerous short films. That’s why Karlovac has once again become the center of film; the film world, encounters and friendships. The record number of applications and the number of films in the competition program only confirm that film is a powerful educational tool that strengthens critical thinking, communication skills and a collaborative spirit. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the professors, mentors, parents and, of course, the students for their dedicated and hard work!
Christopher Peter Marcich, the director of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, took the stage, emphasizing the important social role film plays:
Film literacy and film education are part of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre’s national programme. It is important to us that all high school students are provided with the opportunity for film education. We are actively working on this – with the help of experts, we have prepared a curriculum that is at a stage where it can be applied in high schools.
All this is important because film is not only an art form and a reflection of our society and culture, but also a tool with which we broaden our horizons, develop tolerance and understanding of other cultures and ways of thinking.
I wish everyone a pleasant Festival week, and to all young filmmakers a lot of fun, learning, new friendships and continued dedication to the art of film.
The Festivals were opened by Ksenija Sanković and Sanja Zanki Pejić, on behalf of Cinema Club Karlovac and the Croatian Film Association, welcoming all authors and participants.
For the rest of the week, the Festival audience will follow an exciting competition program including 64 short films from around the world, which will be screened at the Edison Cinema and online.
All viewers, both those in the cinema and those who will follow the screenings online, will be able to vote for their favourites and thus participate in giving out the Audience Award.
In addition to the educational program, round tables, debates and entertainment, the Festival evenings will be crowned with free film screenings at several locations.
On Wednesday, September 10th, at 8:30 pm, the film Sandbag Dam by director Čejen Černić Čanak will be screened at the Edison Cinema. This award winning romantic drama is set in a village surrounded by rivers threatening to overflow, as two men struggle with their emotions and the past.
Under the walls of the old town of Novigrad on the river Dobra on Thursday, September 11th at 8:30 pm, Igor Bezinović’s Fiume o morte! will have an inclusive screening, equipped with a recording in Croatian sign language, inclusive subtitles and audio description. This documentary-fiction hybrid explores the 1919 16-month occupation of the city of Rijeka, under the leadership of Gabriele D’Annunzio, and is this year’s Croatian candidate for the Academy Awards.
At the final evening screening, on Friday, September 12th at 8:30 pm, the audience will have the opportunity to watch the film South Wind by Ante Marin at Foginovo beach on the river Korana. This dark humour comedy reveals a chaotic and humorous mosaic of everyday life in Split through a series of interconnected destinies. It premiered at Pula Film Festival, and delighted the audience with its humour and memorable characters.
The detailed program schedule is available at this link: https://frff.com.hr/program-schedule/
More about Four River Film Festival: frff.com.hr
The festival is supported by: the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the Croatian Association of Technical Culture, the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, Karlovac County, City of Karlovac, the “Kultura nova” Foundation, the Tourist Board of the City of Karlovac, the Technical Culture Community of the Karlovac County, and Turbing d.o.o.
