“The lack of capacity in city cinemas and the closing of Kino Europa are the reasons behind the return to the SC Cinema, but that brings us happy memories of our first festival years. This year is also the celebration of Croatian film, which is heralded by the national premiere of The Staffroom by Sonja Tarokić in the feature film competition and ten Croatian shorts in the Checkers programme”, festival director Boris T. Matić told FNE.

The jury of the feature film competition will include renowned Croatian cinematographer Vanja Černjul, Serbian director and the winner of last year’s Golden Pram award Ivan Ikić, and the Romanian actress and activist Katia Pascariu. The jury of the Checkers and the International short film competition is Montenegrin director Ivan Bakrač, Slovenian director Rok Biček, and Croatian director and the winner of last year’s Checkers award Sara Grgurić.

Main competition programme for feature films:

As Far As I Can Walk (Serbia, Luxembourg, France, Bulgaria, Lithuania)
Directed by Stefan Arsenijević
Produced by Art & Popcorn
Coproduced by Les Films Fauves, Surprise Alley, Chouchkov Brothers, ArtBox

Compartment No. 6 (Finland, Russia, Estonia, Germany)
Directed by Juho Kuosmanen
Produced by Aamu Film Company
Coproduced by Achtung Panda!, Amrion Productions, CTB Film Company

Feathers (France, Egypt, The Netherlands, Greece)
Directed by Omar El Zohairy

Great Freedom (Austria, Germany)
Directed by Sebastian Meise

Happening (France)
Directed by Audrey Diwan

Hive (Kosovo, Switzerland, Macedonia, Albania)
Directed by Blerta Basholli
Produced by Ikonë Studio
Coproduced by Industria Film, Alva Film, Black Cat Production, Albasky Film, RTS Radio Télévision Suisse

Lamb (Iceland, Sweden, Poland)
Directed by Valdimar Jóhannsson
Produced by Go to Sheep
Coproduced by Black Spark Film & TV, Madants, Film i Vast, Chimney, Rabbithole Productions, Helgi Jóhannsson
Supported by the Polish Film Institute and Creative-Europe MEDIA

Queen of Glory (USA)
Directed by Nana Mensah

The Man Who Sold His Skin (Tunisia, France, Belgium, Sweden, Germany)
Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania

The Staffroom (Croatia)
Directed by Sonja Tarokić
Produced by Kinorama

Titane (France)
Directed by Julia Ducournau

Off competition:

Not So Friendly Neighbourhood Affair (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey)
Directed by Danis Tanović
Produced by Obala Art Centar
Coproduced by TRT, Poetika Film Produksiyon Reklam Ve Organizasyon

Checkers competition for short films includes:

A Moving Target (Croatia)
Directed by Marko Dugonjić
Produced by Eclectica

Alone (Croatia)
Directed by Borna Zidarić
Produced by Academy of Dramatic Art (Zagreb)

Bulky Waste (Croatia)
Directed by Andrija Tomić
Produced by Academy of Dramatic Art (Zagreb)

Everything Ahead (Croatia)
Directed by Mate Ugrin
Produced by Dinaridi film

Fall of Our Summer (Croatia)
Directed by Karlo Vorih
Produced by Academy of Dramatic Art (Zagreb)

Horticulture (Croatia)
Directed by Silva Ćapin
Produced by Eclectica

Incendiary (Croatia)
Directed by David Gašo
Produced by Academy of Dramatic Art (Zagreb)

Libero (Croatia)
Directed by Mladen Stanić
Produced by Zagreb film

Loose (Croatia)
Directed by Paula Skelin
Produced by Eclectica

Rockets (Croatia)
Directed by Saša Poštić, Pavle Kocanjer
Produced by Blank