by Urednik Pontalopud
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by Urednik Pontalopud
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The second evening, dedicated to Croatian cinema, was marked by two Croatian masterpieces, The Constitution and The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent.
The second day of the Ponta Lopud Summer Screenings was dedicated to Croatian cinema. Last night, in an evening program popularly called “Croatian Cinema Night,” two films were screened for visitors, one of which brought Croatian cinema its first Palme d’Or from the Cannes festival this year.
The evening program held on the beach of the RMH Lopud Lafodia started with one of the most awarded Croatian films, winner of 36 domestic and international awards and recognitions, The Constitution (2016) directed by Rajko Grlić. The acclaimed director greeted the audience before the screening, emphasizing that the inspiration for the film came from real life, from the neighbourhood where he lived and the stories he witnessed. Although nearly a decade has passed since the film was made, the theme remains very relevant today: “It is a world where everyone sees everyone else as a cliché, and when they slowly start to realize that a human being stands behind the cliché, something different happens,” concluded Grlić.
The second screening of “Croatian Cinema Night,” presented the audience with the short film The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent (2024) directed by Nebojša Slijepčević and produced by Danijel Pek, which, earlier this year, brought Croatian cinema its first Palme d’Or from the Cannes festival in that category. This film, inspired by real events of a crime that occurred during the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina 30 years ago, tells the story from the perspective of a frequently overlooked but equally important group involved in every crime – the witnesses. Although this thirteen-minute acclaimed work starring Goran Bogdan is set in wartime Bosnia and Herzegovina, the film’s producer, Danijel Pek, points out that the theme remains relevant today because each of us faces the questions posed by the film’s main character daily, namely, whether we should respond to violence if it is not aimed directly against us.
The daytime program of the festival for participants featured two masterclass lectures. The first workshop, focused on the process of creating film music, and highly attended, was conducted by the celebrated Croatian-American music editor Suzana Perić, who has worked on some of the most successful and Oscar-winning Hollywood films, such as The Silence of the Lambs (1991), The Pianist (2002), Barbie (2023), and many others. The second workshop of the day was led by an experienced duo: Dubrovnik actor Nikša Kušelj and Belgrade director Pavle Vučković. They presented the importance of successful cooperation between an actor and a director on set and demonstrated how to establish it through their own examples.
A special impression on the festival participants was left by the part of the program held at LOPUD 1483, a restored Franciscan monastery that has overlooked Lopud, the other Elaphiti Islands, and the Croatian Dalmatian coast for centuries. After extensive restoration by the renowned artistic visionary Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, the monastery opened its doors to visitors and guests. This unique venue provided the perfect backdrop for a wine tasting from the Saints Hills winery, led by sommelier Mira Šemić, the first female wine academic from the Balkans, and the young winemaker Lucia Tolj.
Admission to the film screenings is free for all visitors. Additionally, a free transfer by Argosy boat will be provided from June 27 to 29 for audiences coming from Dubrovnik. The boat will depart daily from Gruž port (across from the market) at 6:30 PM and from Lopud in front of the Lafodia Hotel at midnight.
Ponta Lopud Creative Platform hosts and presents three summer culture programs in 2024 and welcomes all art enthusiasts, particularly those passionate about film, music, and literature. The Ponta Lopud Summer Screenings, the first of three events, will celebrate the art of film from June 27 to 29. The second event, the popular Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival, will attract music lovers to the island from August 28 to 31. A new addition to the creative platform is the Ponta Lopud Book Bridge, which will run from September 27 to 29, rounding off the summer events and closing Lopud’s cultural and artistic season.
For more information about the program, schedule, and screenings, visit pontalopud.hr and follow Ponta Lopud on social media!