The 23rd Liburnia Film Festival wrapped on 30 August in Opatija, with Ivan Ramljak’s Peacemaker [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] winning both Best Film and the Audience Award. Produced by Factum, the documentary was praised by the jury as “a moral act of resistance to oblivion”, restoring dignity and voice to Josip Reihl-Kir, a man many tried to silence. The film retraces the events that led to the murder of the determined peacemaker and police chief in eastern Croatia, just as Yugoslavia was sliding into war.

Eighteen new Croatian documentaries vied for eight awards, adjudicated by a jury of five industry professionals: journalist and editor Daniel Bukumirović, playwright and screenwriter Olga Dimitrijević, multimedia artist and filmmaker Katerina Duda, director and producer Đuro Gavran, and producer Hrvoje Osvadić.

The organisers underlined the importance of maintaining cultural platforms at a time when festivals in Croatia face forced cancellations, artists and cultural workers are under threat, and creative space is shrinking. “It’s more important than ever to have a platform for free cultural and artistic expression because it opens a space for critical reflection, dialogue and the creation of a society that is not afraid of diversity,” said programme director Oliver Sertić during the ceremony.

Other top honours included the Best Directing Award for Renata Lučić’s A Year of Endless Days, Best Regional Film for Aleš Suk’s (PS), and a Special Jury Mention for Sunčica Ana Veldić’s On Cats and Humans. Professional craft awards went to Magdalena Ptiček for cinematography, Sara Gregorić for editing and Sebastijan Borovčak for sound design.

Below is the full list of award winners:

Best Film
Peacemaker [+leggi anche:
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Audience Award
Peacemaker – Ivan Ramljak

Special Jury Mention
On Cats and Humans – Sunčica Ana Veldić (Croatia)

Best Regional Film
(PS) – Aleš Suk (Croatia)

“Dragan Rubeša” Critics’ Award
My Friend Sely – Maja Alibegović (Croatia)

Best Directing
Renata Lučić – A Year of Endless Days (Croatia)

Best Cinematography
Magdalena Ptiček – Field Trip (Croatia)

Best Editing
Sara Gregorić – My Dad’s Lessons [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Dalija Dozet
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Best Sound Design
Sebastijan Borovčak – Our Garden at the World’s End (Croatia)