Eight 35mm films shall be presented in the ancient Roman Arena, that can host up to 5000 spectators, and the two HD films at the new cinema, named after Pula born diva Alida Valli.
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Pula Film Festival, founded in 1954, is the oldest and the most popular Croatian film festival (43 800 spectators at the 55th edition).
Eight Croatian films will have their world premieres in Pula: I believe in angels (Vjerujem u andjele) by Niksa Svilicic, The Blacks (Crnci) by Zvonimir Juric and Goran Devic, The Land of Wonders (U zemlji cudesa) by Dejan Sorak, The Man Under the Table (Covjek ispod stola) by Neven Hitrec, Donkey (Kenjac) by Antonio Nuic, Closeness (Blizine) by Zdravko Mustac and Zagreb Tales - omnibus of 9 short films, one of which (Ciao mama by Goran Odvorcic) was in Cannes Official Competition.
Two other films in National Competition are Metastases (Metastaze) by Branko Schmidt, premiered at the Moscow Film Festival, and Penelope (Penelopa) by Ben Ferris, premiered at One Take Film Festival in Zagreb. Penelope and Closeness are in HD, while the other films are on 35mm.
The National Programme jury members are: director Zrinko Ogresta, actress Vlasta Knezovic, editor Josip Podvorac, writer Vlatko Perkovic and film critic Bruno Kragic.
The Festival shall also screen the best Croatian shorts and documentaries, pay tribute to the winners of Croatian film awards for life achievements Relja Basic and Bogdan Zizic, but also present excerpts from five Croatian feature-length films in production (Work in Progress).
CROATIAN FILM FOCUS
The Croatian Films Focus of the 56th Pula Film Festival will be held from 21 till 25 July 2009. In this programme Focus participants will have the possibility to see all the new Croatian feature films and the very best of new Croatian documentaries and shorts in just 4 days. Some of the screenings are in the regular Festival schedule, while some screenings will be organized especially for foreign festival directors, selectors, journalist and critics - participants of the Croatian Film Focus.
The Focus will start on Tuesday , 21 July 2009, at 19,30 in the Festival Centre, and will end on Saturday, 25 July at 13.00, after the round table on new Croatian Cinema. The Festival closing ceremony will be held on Saturday 25 July at 21.30 in the Arena.
On Saturday, 25 July 2009, at the Valli Cinema, after announcing award winners of the 56th Festival, the Croatian Film Marathon shall take place and screen all films from the National Programme of the 56th Festival.
56th Pula Film Festival
NATIONAL COMPETITION PROGRAMME
1. I believe in Angels (Vjerujem u andjele) by Niksa Svilicic
2. Zagreb Tales (Zagrebačke priče), omnibus by a group of directors
3. The Blacks (Crnci) by Zvonimir Juric and Goran Devic
4. The the Land of Wonders (U zemlji cudesa) by Dejan Sorak
5. The Man Under the Table (Covjek ispod stola) by Neven Hitrec
6. Donkey (Kenjac) by Antonio Nuic
7. Love Life of Sluggard (Ljubavni život domobrana), by Pavo Marinkovic
8. Metastases (Metastaze) by Branko Schmidt
9. Penelope (Penelopa) by Ben Ferris
10. Closeness (Blizine) by Zdravko Mustac
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