On Monday evening at CineStar Branimir, the 22^nd Zagreb Film Festival was officially opened with the screening of Bruno Anković’s Celebration. Along with festival representatives – Director Boris T. Matić, Executive Director Lana Matić and Program Director Selma Mehadžić, and the Celebration film crew – director Bruno Anković, producers Tina Tišljar and Rea Rajčić, actors Krešimir Mikić, Klara Fiolić, Lars Stern, Jan Doležal and Tanja Smoje, the start of a new ZFF chapter was welcomed by State Secretary Krešimir Partl, Zagreb Deputy Mayor Luka Korlaet, Croatian Audiovisual Centre’s CEO Chris Marčić and numerous distinguished guests from Zagreb’s cultural and public life.

“Over the next seven days we will screen more than a hundred films at CineStar Branimir, Cinema Kinoteka, Museum of Contemporary Art (MSU), Dokukino KIC, and the new festival venue Scenoteka (ex. Vidra) that will host a part of the Industry training program, as well as ZFF parties. A week filled with screenings, lectures, workshops and, of course, get-togethers with our guests and the audience awaits us”, said Zagreb Film Festival Director Boris T Matić.

Program Director Selma Mehadžić touched on an important novelty this year: “We are proud to have become a qualifying festival for the European Film Award in the Short Film category. Fifteen films from the Short Film competition, which also includes titles in our popular Checkers program, will compete for a chance to win the Best European Short award. The award-winning film at ZFF becomes a contender for nominations for the European Film Award. In the process, we join the esteemed company of European festivals such as Venice, Berlin and Cannes.”

Deputy Mayor Luka Korlaet then officially opened the 22nd Zagreb Film Festival with the words: “Congratulations on your 22nd edition, anyone who has done something so important for so long deserves praise. ZFF is a festival that shaped me, broadened my horizons and significantly enriched me as a person. Congratulations on becoming a European Film Award-qualifying festival, this is a great recognition from the industry. I am also very pleased that the inaugural film this evening is based on the novel Celebration written by Damir Karakaš. And finally – Do stay hot in November! I declare the festival open!”

The Zagreb Film Festival opening also included the traditional Albert Kapović Award, presented annually by the Croatian Producers Association in memory of the founder of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre. The award is conferred to individuals who have distinguished themselves in the field of cinematic art during the year, or who have significantly contributed to the quality and promotion of Croatian film. On behalf of the Croatian Producers Association committee, producer Tamara Babun presented the award to Alen Munitić, director of the project Kino Mediteran and the Mediterranean Film Festival Split, who dedicated the award to the Kino Mediteran team, FMFS, and their devoted audience, without whom this success story would not have happened.

In seven festival days, from Monday to Sunday, that is, Saturday’s closing night with the screening of Pedro Almodóvar’s Golden Lion-winning The Room Next Door, more than 100 feature and short films from all over the world will be presented to the Zagreb audience. Competing for the main festival award, the Golden Pram, are 9 feature films, 10 international short films and 8 films from the Checkers program.

The Golden Bicycle Award will be awarded to the best film in the Together Again program, the Young Jury PLUS Award will go to the best film dealing with a coming-of-age story in an inventive and daring way, while the votes of the Zagreb audience will be added to the audiences votes of other regional festivals in the selection for the best film from the Network of Festivals in the Adriatic Region program.

Every day after the screenings, visitors can connect and hang out at Scenoteka (ex Vidra), in the immediate vicinity of CineStar Branimir. Every evening starting at 19:00, they will be entertained by DJs such as HvalaSven, Tali (ex Svemirko), uncleFunk, Minolta and LukadeLux. On Wednesday, 6 November, at the open-invite party at Tvornica kulture – Small Hall, festivalgoers will be entertained by Vitamin Disco.

In addition to the official festival website, more information about the program, screening schedule, and tickets is also available in ZFF’s mobile app.