The film consists of three stories, and during its course, we found out about structure and interrelationships. The main characters are the general, who has a strong desire to commit a suicide, the minister in the Government of the Republic of Croatia, who imprisoned himself without an official judgement and a group of parents of different nationalities (Croatian, Serbian and Bosnian) who want to force the Governments of Croatia and Serbia to find their children lost in a war, by digging the graves of their dead presidents.
Director: Vinko Bresan
Screenwriter: Mate Matišić
Producer: Ivan Maloča
Co-Producer: Lazar Ristovski, Radoslawa Bardes, Slaven Knezovic, Jacek Kulczycki, Magdalena Zimecka
Music: Maciej Zielinski
Scenery: Damir Gabelica
Editor: Sandra Botica
Director of Photography: Branko Linta
Costume designer: Željka Franulović
Makeup: Ana Bulajić – Crcek
Finance Manager: Jelica Rosandić
Cast:
Goran Bogdan, Niksa Butijer, Lazar Ristovski, Sebastian Cavazza, Branko Cvejić, Iva Mihalić, Krešimir Mikić
FESTIVALS AND AWARDS
– 2019 Gran Prix at the Sopot Festival (SOFEST), Serbia
– Audience Award at the 60th Thessaloniki International Film Festival
– Plaque for exceptional collective acting, Mojkovac Film Autumn 2020.
Director
Vinko Bresan
/director/
Vinko Bresan was born in 1964 in Zagreb. He studied philosophy and comparative literature as well as Film and Television Direction at the university’s Academy of Dramatic Arts. His debut feature film How the War Started On My Island, became, after Titanic the biggest box-office success in Croatian cinemas in the last 20 years and was screened at 32 international film festivals, including Toronto and Montreal. Marshal Tito’s Spirit (1999) followed and was awarded the Wolfgang Staudte Prize and received Special Mention from the Reader Jury of the Berliner Zeitung at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2000 and also became a Croatian box office hit. Brešan won Best Director Award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for the film in the same year. The film Witnesses (2003) was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 2004 Berlinale and received the Peace Film Award as well as a Special Mention from the Ecumenical Jury. It also won the Philip Morris Award at Karlovy Vary in the same year. His feature film Will Not Stop There (2008) received the FIPRESCI award at KVIFF as well as Golden Arena for the best film of the Pula Film Festival. The film Priest’s Children, Bresan’s comedy from 2013 Croatian-Serbian co-production cofinanced by Eurimages had approx. 160.000 admissions in Croatia. It was nominated for EFA Best Comedy of the Year, included in Official Competition of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Film was distributed in 30 territories world-wide.
- “The priest's children” (2013)
- „Will not stop there“, 2008
- „Witnesses“, 2003.
- „Marshal Tito's Spirit“,1999.
- „How the War Started On My Island“
– Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – Official Competition
– Pula Film Festival – Golden Arena for the Best Supporting Actor
– Golden Arena for Best Supporting Actor (Nikša Butijer)
– LIFFE 2013 – Leskovac International Festival of Directing
– Golden Hazelnut for Best Actor (Krešimir Mikić)
– International Film Festival of Thessaloniki 2013th – Balkan Survey Competition Program
Audience Award:
– Festival Popoli e Religioni 2013., Terni
Best Movie Award:
– Festroia filmski festival, Portugal, 2014. – Official Competition
– The Golden Dolphin for the best movie
– Karlovy Vary , 3.-10.07.2009. – Official competition
– Award FIPRESCI
– Herceg Novi , 1.-7.08.2009. – Best Film Award
– Niš Performing Arts Festival, Serbia, 2008. – Nada Shargin – Best Actress Award
– Pula Film Festival 2008
– Audience Award The Golden Gate for the best movie
– Golden Arena for costume design
– Golden Arena for scenography
– Golden Arena for assembly
– Golden Arena for supporting cast
– 54th Berlin International Film Festival, 2004 – official competition
– Peace Film Award
– Special Mention of the Ecumenical Jury
39. Karlovy Vary Int. Film Festival
– Phillip Morris Award
6th. Int. Film festival „ Film By The Sea“
– Grand Prix – Best Film
21st Jerusalem Int. Film Festival
– in the Spirit of Freedom Award
Medfilm Festival, Rome, 2004.
– Special jury award for artistic achievement
50. Pula Film Festival
– Golden arena for directing – Vinko Bresan
– Golden Screenplay Arena – Jurica Pavlicic and Zivko Zalar
– Golden Camera Arena – Zivko Zalar
– Golden arena for lead female lead – Alma Prica
– The Golden Arena for Music by Matic
–Octavian Criticism Award
Motovun Film Festival, 2003.
– A to A Award for the best movie in a regional program
– Berlin 2000. – „Wolfgang Staudte Award“
– Karlovy Vary 2000. – „Best Director Award“
– Camera Festival „Manaki Brothers“ Bitola 2000 – Audience Award
– Montpellier 2000. – „Prix Mediterranee“
– Valencia 2000. – „Palmera de bronze“
– „Pierr Kast for best screenplay“
– Bratislava 2000. – „Special mention»“
– Santa Barbara 2001. – „Vision Award“
– Rome 2001. – „Silver Melies“
– Pula 2000. – “Great Golden Arena for Best Picture”, “Golden Arena for Lead Actor” Golden Arena for Screenplay, Golden Arena for Music, Golden Mask Arena, Golden Gate of Pula
Pula 1996.
– Grand Golden Arena for directing, Golden Arena for costume design, Golden Arena for supporting role, Golden Gate of Pula
– Octavian
Cottbus 1997.
– Grand prix
Anonny 1997.
– Award for directing
– Audience Award