Tomislav Radic's Kotlovina sweeps Pula

The Pula Film Festival (July 16-23), which showcases Croatian national awards, wrapped with veteran writer-director Tomislav Radic’s Kotlovina winning the Grand Golden Arena for best film and five other awards.

The drama about a secret love affair between a 40-year-old widow and her sister’s 20-year-old stepson also won Golden Arenas for actress in a leading role for Mira Brekalo Popovic, best actor in a leading role for Drasko Zidar, best actor in a supporting role for Boris Buzancic, and best sound for Frano Homen. The film was produced by Korugva Film.

Dalibor Matanic won best director for the psychological thriller Daddy, and the film also took best actress in a supporting role for Iva Mihalic, and best cinematography for Vanja Cernul. Kinorama produced.

Another Kinorama title won four awards - the Breza award for best debutant director went to Daniel Kusan for Koko And The Ghosts, an adaptation of children’s bestseller written by his father Ivan Kusan. The film also won best music for Dinko Appelt, best editing for Slaven Zecevic, and the audience award.

Stanislav Tomic’s First World War drama Josef, produced by Alka Film, won best special effects (by Branko and Kristijan Repalust), while other technical prizes — make-up by Ana Bulajic Crcek, costume design by Barbara Bourek, art direction by Iva Husnjak — went to Branko Ivanda’s period drama Lea And Darija, produced by Ars Septima.

Prizewinners Josef and Daddy were able to take part in the competition thanking to Croatian Audiovisual Centre’s support for films which lacked funds for post-production. Josef received $173,094 and Daddy got $73,084. Three more films were supported and were presented in competition in Pula: Dan Oki’s Darkness, produced by Udruga Kazimir ($80,777); Aldo Tardozzi’s Spots, produced by Kinoteka ($76,930); and Irena Skoric’s 7 seX 7, produced by Artizana Film ($19,233).

In the minority co-productions sections, first introduced last year, Metod Pevec’s Good Night, Missy, co-produced by Slovenia’s Vertigo / Emotionfilm and Croatia’s 4Film, won all three Golden Arenas- best director, best actress in a leading role for Polona Juh, and best cinematography for Sven Pepeonik.