The 7th Zagreb Film Festival was opened tonight at the once again overcrowded SC cinema. The audience was greeted by the festival directors, Boris T. Matiæ and Hrvoje Laurenta. In the next seven days expect to see nine programmes which will show over 90 films from 30 countries on six locations - three of which are new - the Tuškanac cinema, Movieplex and Dokukino Croatia, said Boris T. Matiæ. Along with the previously mentioned locations, screenings will also be held, just like in the previous years, at the SC cinema, BUG cinema &TD and the most beautiful cinema in Zagreb, the Europa cinema, added Hrvoje Laurenta.
'The Zagreb Film Festival is a project of the City of Zagreb, which recognized the need of its citizens to have such a manifestation six years ago. The ZFF has been returning the favour every year, drawing more and more citizens to the venues with its programme', said Matiæ, who also thanked the Croatian Audio-Visual Centre and all other sponsors and media sponsors. Because of its seven years of loyalty and constant support to the festival, Matiæ awarded the festival's general sponsor Vipnet, which was represented by the President of the Board Mladen Pejkoviæ, with this year's first Golden Pram. ' I thank you for this award and congratulate you on your vision, as well as your patience and persistence. I wish the audience very, very exciting films and I wish the organisers a very successful festival', said Pejkoviæ.
The festival was officially declared open by Jelena Pavièiæ Vukièeviæ, Zagreb deputy mayor. 'We are pleased that, throughout the years, the ZFF has earned recognition as one of the most important cultural events and as one of the more important international festivals', said Ms. Pavièiæ Vukièeviæ and declared the festival open. The programme started with the film 'Ciao Mama', a debut short film by a young Croatian director, Goran Odvorèiæ, which was the first Croatian film competing for the Palme D'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival after 30 years ( since 1979). The film was awarded at the Sarajevo Film Festival with a Special Jury Mention. 'Ciao Mama' was introduced by the director himself as well as by actress Andrea Rumenjak.
After the short film, the audience had the chance to see the first film from the feature films programme, 'Machan', which was introduced by the director Uberto Pasolini himself. I am very pleased that my little film will open the festival. Everything in 'Machan' is authentic, Sri Lankan - the language, the actors, the location - so this is actually their film. It deals with universal topics like poverty and human wishes and attempts to leave their country and find a better life elsewhere, said Pasolini. Based on a true story, this bitter, but fun comedy follows a group of friends who team up to form an unusual national handball team with the purpose to escape to the West.
'Machan' is Pasolini's first feature film, although this Italian producer has produced a number of films, including 'Full Monty', for which he even 'earned' an Oscar nomination. 'Machan' has so far won about ten awards on major international festivals, including the two awards from the Venice Film Festival.
