Zagreb, 24 February – The ninth edition of ZagrebDox began tonight at Cineplexx Kaptol Centre cinema with the opening of the film Gangster of Love by Nebojša Slijepčević. Visitors filled all five screening rooms and tickets were still very much in demand before the opening.
At the beginning of the opening ceremony, ZagrebDox director Nenad Puhovski addressed the visitors: “Many wonder if there is a need for such a festival in the moment of crisis. Tonight the Oscar ceremony takes place – two films to be screened at ZagrebDox compete for this prestigious award – ‘Five Broken Cameras’ was presented at the last year’s edition, at the other, ‘Gatekeepers’, is part of this year’s Controversial Dox section,” he said. “We have information that people even take time off work to be able to see the films they are interested in. There are so many young people coming to the festival. It is particularly rewarding that this is a festival for which many young people will pack their bags, come and invest their time and money and volunteer to make everything successful. It is a clear sign that such a festival is indeed necessary. ZagrebDox’s programme includes films about the credit rating – something quite interesting for us at this moment; films about Croatian plutocracy or women who returned to Croatia after war-caused emigration, as well as about regional topics and global issues important in the region, which corresponds to the political moment and contributes to social change. Especially rewarding for us and the proof that we are doing it right is the visitors’ response, who leave the theatres and discuss what they just saw in the movies,” said Nenad Puhovski.
Then he presented the person greatly responsible for the successful organisation of the festival, producer Lucija Parać. “I would like to thank the entire festival team and all the volunteers, who made all this possible. Big thanks to our general sponsor Croatian Telecom, colleagues from Cineplexx and Kaptol Centre, Zagrebačka banka, HBO Adria, AVC and Sony. We are very pleased that for the third time now we have the acknowledgment and support from the European MEDIA programme. Our thanks also goes to the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, City of Zagreb and City Office for Education, Culture and Sport, as well as all festival sponsors and partners,” said Lucija Parać.
Then she invited the Mayor of the City of Zagreb Milan Bandić to open the festival. “I thank the festival management and the rest of the team for the successful realisation and organisation in these past eight years. This festival made Zagreb the regional centre of documentary film. I wish you great success in the next eight days and I officially open the 9th ZagrebDox!” said Milan Bandić.
“The festival opens with the world premiere of ‘Gangster of Love’ by Nebojša Slijepčević, which has already been recognised in Europe. This is the film that best shows the present and future of Croatian documentary,” said Nenad Puhovski.
The visitors were then addressed by director Nebojša Slijepčević: “There is no greater honour than this – to show the film at the opening of ZagrebDox. Making it, we lived through three years of uncertainty, sacrifice and hard work. Now we are facing the biggest test of all, in the next 80 minutes. Everybody expects a lot from the opening film – we hope we will fulfil your expectations.” The film protagonists Nediljko Babić, Marin Prgomet and producer Vanja Jambrović were also present at the screening.
ZagrebDox closes on 3 March and includes over 180 international and Croatian documentaries. Screenings take place every day from 12am to 11pm in all five screening rooms of Cineplexx Kaptol Centre theatre.
