27/07/2015 - Serbian director Stevan Filipović's Next to Me wins International Competition, No One's Child wins three minority co-production awards

The 62nd edition of Croatia's national Pula Film Festival (July 17-25) wrapped last Saturday, with Cannes Un Certain Regard Jury Prize winner, The High Sun [+see also:
film review
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interview: Dalibor Matanic
interview: Tihana Lazovic
film profile] by Dalibor Matanić, scooping up seven awards, including the Grand Golden Arena for Best Film. 

The champion co-production between Croatia's Kinorama, Slovenia's Gustav Film and Serbia's SEE Pro Film also won Best Director (Matanić), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Tihana Lazović), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Nives Ivanković), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Dado Ćosić), and Best Costume Design (Ana Savić Gecan). In addition, the film received the Octavian prize from the Croatian Film Critics' Association.

Ivona Juka's You Carry Me [+see also:
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interview: Ivona Juka
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Ognjen Sviličić's These Are the Rules [+see also:
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Branko Schmidt's Ungiven [+see also:
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Martin Semenčić received the Golden Arena for Best Sound Design for his work on Damir Čučić's experimental documentary, The Spirits Diary. Best Make-Up went to Mojca Gorogranc Petrushevska for Daniel Kušan's childrens' hit Love or Death [+see also:
trailer
film profile], and Brano Repalust won Best Special Effects for Ivan Livaković's The Enchanting Porkers [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. The Rainfall, by Marko Dugonjić, received the Best Short Film award, while Serbian director Stefan Ivančić won the Student Competition with Moonless Summer [+see also:
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film profile].

The Golden Gate of Pula Audience Award went to Darko Bajić's Serbian-Croatian-Slovenian co-production We Will Be the World Champions [+see also:
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film profile], which tells the story of the rise of Yugoslav basketball, culminating in victory over team USA at the 1970 World Cup finals held in Ljubljana.

In the International Competition, which included titles such as Dheepan [+see also:
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Q&A: Jacques Audiard
film profile], The Lobster [+see also:
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Q&A: Yorgos Lanthimos
film profile], Trash [+see also:
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making of
film profile] and Corn Island [+see also:
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interview: George Ovashvili
film profile], the Best Film Award went to Stevan Filipović's Next to Me [+see also:
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interview: Stevan Filipović
film profile], which held its world premiere at the festival. Ivan Ostrochovsky's Koza [+see also:
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interview: Ivan Ostrochovský
film profile] received a special mention and won the award for best film in the Friends and Neighbours programme.

Finally, in the Croatian Minority Co-production Competition, all three awards went to Vuk Ršumović's No One's Child [+see also:
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film profile] with Golden Arenas for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Acting Performance (Denis Murić).