02-11-2016

FNE at Cottbus Film Festival 2016: Houston, We Have a Problem!

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    Houston, We Have a Problem! by Žiga Virc Houston, We Have a Problem! by Žiga Virc

    COTTBUS: Žiga Virc’s first feature, the docu-fiction Houston, We Have a Problem! / Houston, imamo problem!, will be screened in the main competition of the 26th Cottbus Film Festival (8-13 November 2016). 

    This Slovenian/Croatian/German coproduction explores the myth of space conquest as it unfolds in Yugoslavia of the 1960’s, in fictional documentary genre-crossing style.

    In March 1961, Yugoslavia sold its secret space programme to the US. Two months later, Kennedy announced that the USA would go to the Moon. This created an urban myth that millions of people wanted to believe. This myth is explored through the character of Ivan, a senior engineer in the alleged Yugoslav space programme, using some original, unseen documentary materials.

    The film was produced by Boštjan Virc through Studio Virc in coproduction with Siniša Juričić through Croatia’s Nukleus Film and Ingmar Trost through Germany’s Sutor Kolonko. The project was supported by the Slovenian Film Center with 170,000 EUR, RTV Slovenia, FS Viba, MEDIA Programme, Eurimages, Croatian Audiovisual Center, HBO Europe, WDR Germany and Doha Film Institute.

    The film was shot in 47 days between April and October 2014 in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Austria, Morocco and the US, producer Boštjan Virc told FNE. Since its release in Slovenian cinemas in spring 2016 (distributed by 2i Film) the film has been unexpectedly successful with 18,000 admissions. The film is Slovenia’s 2016 Oscar bid and won the main prize of the 19th Slovenian Film Festival.

    Production Information:

    Studio Virc, d.o.o.
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    http://www.studio-virc.si

    Nukleus film d.o.o.
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    www.nukleus-film.hr

    Credits:


    Director: Žiga Virc
    Screenwriters: Boštjan Virc, Žiga Virc
    DoP: Andrej Virc
    Editor: Vladimir Gojun
    Production Designer: Miha Ferkov
    Costume Designer: Zorana Meić
    Make up: Petra Hartman, Ivana Pralija
    Sound Designers: Matjaž Moraus Zdešar, Julij Zornik
    Cast: Slavoj Žižek, Josip Broz Tito, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Božidar Smiljanić