The sixth Ponta Lopud Film Festival, taking place from 25 to 28 June on the island of Lopud near Dubrovnik, will once again bring together emerging film professionals through its workshops and mentorship programme. This year’s programme is built around two projects, both already financed feature films currently in development: “History of Illness” by director David Gašo and “The Long Weekend” by director Katarina Koljević. Each team arrives on Lopud with its core creative collaborators – the director, cinematographer, editor, producer and actors – to dedicate several days exclusively to the development of their project and discuss it with internationally renowned mentors. As part of the festival’s music programme, the projects will also be joined by young composers Ana Krstajić and Antonio Perina, who, under the mentorship of film music editor Suzana Perić, will spend the festival developing their own musical interpretation of the films.

“History of Illness” is the first feature-length fiction film by director David Gašo (Eclectica). The team includes producers Rea Rajčić and Marta Eva Mećava, cinematographer Tin Ostrošić, editor Tomislav Stojanović, and actress and director Lana Barić. “The Long Weekend” is the feature debut of director Katarina Koljević. The team consists of executive producer Vanja Lozanović, cinematographer Milica Drakulić, and actors Dado Ćosić and Isidora Simijonović.

Alongside its workshops and mentorship programme, the festival also offers a rich public programme. The festival prelude on 24 June will feature a screening of Giuseppe Tornatore’s documentary “Ennio” (2021) and the opening of the exhibition “Nomadia”. The Festival will officially open on 25 June with a screening of “Bob Marley: One Love” (2024), introduced by director Reinaldo Marcus Green. Producer Peter Spears will also present “Call Me by Your Name” (2017), marking the tenth anniversary of the film’s production. On Friday, 26 June, visitors will be able to see Lukas Dhont’s “Close” (2022) and Giuseppe Tornatore’s “Cinema Paradiso” (1988). Saturday, 27 June, brings an evening conversation on art in the age of artificial intelligence, followed by a screening of the Croatian film “Koke” (“Honey Bunny”, 2026). The Festival will conclude on Sunday, 28 June, with a major concert celebrating the film music of Ennio Morricone.

For visitors travelling from Dubrovnik, special boat transfers have been organised in cooperation with the Lokrum Nature Reserve, while regular Jadrolinija ferry services between Dubrovnik and Lopud are also available. Full programme details and additional information can be found at pontalopud.hr and on the social media channels of the Ponta Lopud Creative Platform. Tickets for film screenings and the concert are available through Entrio.

The Ponta Lopud Creative Platform presents three summer cultural programmes in 2026 and warmly welcomes all lovers of the arts, particularly film, music and literature. The Ponta Lopud Film Festival, the first of the three events, will take place from 25 to 28 June and will be dedicated to the art of film. It will be followed by the popular Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival, which will bring music lovers to the island from 27 to 29 August, while Ponta Lopud Book Bridge, taking place from 17 to 19 September, will transform Lopud into a literary haven and complete the season’s cultural programme.