THE YELLOW FLAG – AN AWARD FOR THE CONTRIBUTION TO NONVIOLENCE ON FILM

A white flag is raised as a sign of surrender. Completely contrary to that, the yellow flag is a sign of struggle, a struggle against violence! Nonviolence on film, best presented through the works of young filmmakers from Croatia and the world, is promoted precisely by the Yellow Flag award, which was raised for the first time at the Youth Film Festival and the Four River Film Festival last year in Karlovac. The Yellow Flag will this year once again be awarded to the authors whose films, through their themes, stories and characters, most successfully speak out against violence as a great affliction of our societies, especially among young generations. Given the fact that one image speaks louder than a thousand words, the moving images send out an immeasurably important message when it comes to the needs of the youth and adults to live in a society that promotes peace, freedom and cooperation between individuals and groups. Once again, the full attention of all film fans should go to the films which deal with the problem of violence in different communities and which suggest solutions for the prevention of violence. Which of the films in this year’s festival program will receive the Yellow Flag as an award for the contribution to nonviolence on film, will be decided by a jury of three, by all accounts, exceptional high school students.

Tamy Zajec

Tamy Zajec was born in 1996 in Zagreb. She has recently graduated from Antun Gustav Matoš primary school and enrolled into the first grade of the 15th Gymnasium, also in Zagreb. In addition to her regular schoolwork she studied at the Primary music school. She was the champion of Croatia in solo tap dancing and show solo in the children’s and junior categories between 2005 and 2010. She was the European champion in show solo in 2006 and vice champion in 2007 and 2010, and also the world champion in tap formation in 2006, as well as world and European vice champion in couple tap dancing in 2007 and the year after that. In 2008, she also became the European champion with a small tap dancing group and came fifth in the world in jazz solo performance. Presenting the dance studio Step by step at numerous competitions, she visited Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the United States. In addition to music and dance, she loves skiing and swimming. The role of Darija Gasteiger in the feature film Lea and Darija directed by Branko Ivanda is her first, but definitely not her last appearance on the big screen.

Marko Mikšić

Marko Mikšić was born in 1994 in  Karlovac. He attended primary school Grabrik where he started pursuing film art. Now he is a third grade student of Karlovac Gymnasium (natural sciences program). He is a member of the Karlovac Gymnasium Video Group and the Cinema Club Karlovac, as well as a member of the Lumire media department (within the Carpe diem association), where he has participated in the making of several documentary, live action and commissioned films. He has successfully completed the educational program entitled Stop violence among children for students’ support groups “Start with yourself to help others” (Anti Bullying Campaign organized by the CNS, the Center for Neohumanistic Studies). In 2009 and 2010 he actively participated at Novigradsko proljeće art school while a few weeks ago he attended the Live action film workshop within the 13th Dr Ante Peterlić School of Media Culture. He is one of the organizers of the recently held Youth Photo Days in  Kutina and he also participated in the organization of JUMF (Jader Urban Music Festival) in Zadar. This year he participated on the project Discover Croatia / Upoznaj Hrvatsku organized by UHPA (Association of Croatian Travel Agencies), whose aim was to promote Croatia as a tourist destination. In his free time (if he even has any), he pursues photography and ultimate frisbee at FDKK (Flying Disc Klub Karlovac).

Jihye Hwang

Jihye Hwang was born in 1992 in Daeya-dong, Siheung-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. She is the winner of the 15th Youth Film Festival and the 3rd Four River Film Festival Grand Prix for best film for her film A Kiss from a Kitty, which more than earns her a place on this year’s Yellow Flag jury. This year she will graduate from the Secondary Art School in Gyeonggi (South Korea). Within her high school work, she has made several exceptional animated films which have won awards and recognitions at renowned festivals in South Korea and abroad, such as: Korea Youth Film Festival, SBS Animation Awards, Bucheon Student Comic & Cartoon Festa, etc. She has a long and successful road ahead of her in animation.