In a world where emerging filmmakers often scramble for visibility and access, Ponta Lopud offers something precious: the time, place, and company to simply become better artists. Over the past five years, Ponta Lopud has quietly redefined what a “film festival” can be. This isn’t a place of red carpets, paparazzi, and trophy speeches. It’s something much rarer: a warm, thoughtful, and expertly curated gathering designed to nourish the creative and professional growth of filmmakers at a crucial stage in their careers.

Recently appointed to the artistic direction of this transformation is Luna Brusselaers Sršen, whose own journey mirrors the spirit of the event. “I started as a member of the audience,” she recalls. “I watched the screenings, fell in love with the atmosphere, and asked to volunteer the following year.” From volunteer to programming coordinator and her current managerial role, Luna’s path has been one of growing involvement and vision.

What makes Ponta Lopud stand apart is precisely what Luna and the founding team, led by Tilda Grossel Bogdanović (read interview), have carefully cultivated: it’s not a conventional festival—it’s a hub. A laboratory of ideas. A breathing space for young filmmakers and top-tier professionals to connect in ways rarely afforded by the increasingly industrialised global festival circuit.

A fellowship of the future

The crown jewel of the event is its fellowship programme, an intimate and highly selective initiative bringing together a small group of emerging filmmakers from Croatia, the Balkans, and broader Europe. There is no open call — fellows are personally selected based on their work, potential, and current development status. “I spent months watching their short films, tracking their participation in labs, reading about their projects,” Luna says. “We wanted people who are in the middle of developing their first or second feature. The programme is built around what they truly need.”

And what they need, it turns out, isn’t another pitching session. Ponta Lopud strips away the competitive pressure. Instead, it offers genuine conversation and connection. Fellows are paired with world-class mentors—filmmakers, producers, editors, composers—who have read their treatments in advance and are available to discuss, advise, and inspire. These interactions aren’t confined to panels or Q&A sessions; they happen over dinner, under fig trees, at the beach, or during walks around the island. “The conversations often start spontaneously—about a scene, a shot, or a feeling—and evolve into something deeply constructive,” Luna explains.

The 2025 Fellowship members gathered around director Sean Baker and producer Samantha Quan

A-list mentors, human moments

The list of international guests who’ve participated over the years is staggering: Academy Award winners, celebrated editors like Mikkel E.G. Nielsen, internationally acclaimed directors such as Ruben Östlund and Sean Baker, A-list actors like Edward Norton, and Oscar-winning producers such as Peter Spears (Call Me by Your Name [+lire aussi :
bande-annonce
Q&A : Luca Guadagnino
fiche film], Nomadland…). And yet, the tone remains warm and humble. “The guests come with their families. They stay longer. They’re not rushed,” says Luna. “Many of them don’t usually have time to engage with emerging talents in this way—it’s curated for them, too.”

Perhaps that’s the magic of Ponta Lopud: it humanises the film industry. It levels the playing field without diluting expertise. It allows masters of the craft to reconnect with what first drove them to create, while giving a new generation unprecedented access and encouragement.

Lopud: The island as co-creator

Of course, none of this would be possible without Lopud itself. The island isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a key character in the festival’s story. Without cars, with only a handful of historic buildings and lush Mediterranean landscapes inhabited by roughly 200 locals at most, Lopud provides the ideal conditions for focused creativity. Screenings are held under the stars. Meals take place in gardens or on the beach. There’s no VIP section—everyone is a guest on the island.

“Tilda has an incredible talent for bringing people together in this setting,” Luna adds. “And once you’re here, you feel it—you want to talk, to make something, to stay.”

Growth without expansion

When asked about the future, Luna is focused on the event’s goal: not to grow bigger, but deeper. “We don’t need scale. We’re not looking for numbers. We’re looking for depth, intimacy, and impact.” That may mean fewer fellows in the future, even more tailored programming, and an expansion into new genres like documentary and experimental film. But the core will remain the same: masterclasses, meaningful dialogue, and shared moments that spark new ideas.

The latest edition of Ponta Lopud took place between 23 and 28 June 2025.

A special screening under the stars