Revue of film and video making

Something new, something personal, something different

The 30th Festival of Croatian Non-Professional Film and Video Making in Zagreb, November 27-29 1998

Owing to mass media’s curiosity about feature-length film In the Ecirclement, directed by unknown amateur Stjepan Sabljak, this year Festival — usually out of public sight — have drawn broader public attention. Dealing with the escape of several Croatian soldiers from the Serbian labor camp, the film was evaluated as one of the best Croatian action/war movies made in the 90-s. Yet, Sabljak’s film was an exception in the Festival’s program.

Non-professional film and videomakers mostly prefer short length and non-conventional forms of expression. Thus still the most powerful and valuable type of film presented at the Festival is the experimental film/video. The festival jury singled out as the best pieces: Ultrasound/Supersonic Vibration by Tanja Golić (a simulated ultrasound imagery of struggle for survival) and Phases By Ana Šimičić (an introspective quest of contact and touching).

Quantitatively, one-minute pieces dominated within the increased feature film production, and documentary film seemed to be in decline in spite of several remarkable works (Close to Distraction by Damir Čučić, Fata&Morgana of Metropolis by Saša Tkalec and Victoria via Joško by Vedran Šamanović. And last but not least, the 30th Festival introduced talented young authoress Saša Došen with some interesting animated films.

Diana Nenadić