On Friday, August 8, a press conference was held for this year’s 12th edition of the Star Film Fest, the international short film festival which will take place from August 21st to 23rd in the city of Sisak.
The conference featured the festival’s director Matija Holjevac, one of the competition program selectors Martina Mladenović, and Damir Butković, representative of SFF’s general sponsor INA.
In addition to revolving around the stars every year, we’ve realized that Star Film Fest has been in constant motion for 12 years! We see motion as the essence of the art of film — every shot, every cut, and every emotion is conveyed through the movement of the camera, the body, an object, or a gaze. Film cannot exist without some form of movement. Motion is change, growth, progress — just like our festival. This year we celebrate all forms of movement, whether physical, emotional, or conceptual, the ones that drive both filmmakers and audiences.
32 SHORT FILMS IN THE COMPETITION PROGRAM AND 6 CROATIAN PREMIERES
Martina Mladenović presented this year’s competition program, which consists of a total of 32 short films that Martina, along with selectors Iva Rosandić and Anja Kavić, selected from a total of 1.281 applications from all over the world – Martina emphasizes that “every international festival is a small journey around the world” and thus a total of 10 animated films, 8 documentaries, 8 experimental and 6 fiction short films will be screened, of which a total of 24 are student films.
Also, in this year’s competition program, we can expect 6 Croatian premieres – the animated “Stardust and Camp” by Australian director Jayden Van Win and the experimental films “Sister” by director Filandra Zulfikar from neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Doctor Comes in on Thursdays” by Serbian director Jovana Anđelković, “Layers: Film” by Brazilian director Vitoria Scaevola, the Tajik “Voices of the Mountains” created by DRF Community, and the Argentine “Terpeniev” by Manuel Del Médica.
A PROGRAM IN MOTION DEDICATED ENTIRELY TO FILM
Festival director Matija Holjevac presented the rest of the program for this year’s edition. On Thursday, August 21st, the festival will open on Vladimira Nazora Promenade with the exhibition “The Inner Face” by artist Ivana Svjetličić and a retrospective exhibition by the Kino Klub Sisak. This will be followed by a performance by Duo Sanjam & Petrinjski puhački kvartet, and a tribute to the late Croatian theatre, television, and film actor Duško Valentić, which will include the premiere of the short fiction film “Samoća” (Solitude) by director Bobby Boško Grubić and screenwriter Miro Gavran in which Valentić played his final role. The official festival opening and the first competition screening will follow.
The second day, Friday, August 22nd, will start with a children’s program featuring an inclusive screening of “Ježeva kuća” at Theatre 21, accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences, organized in collaboration with Film Svima. In the afternoon, public will have the opportunity to take part in a masterclass by renowned Croatian actor Goran Grgić, followed by the second, third, and fourth competition screenings. All competition films will also be available for viewing through VR headsets. The evening will feature the screening of the Croatian documentary hit “Fiume o morte!” by Igor Bezinović, also in collaboration with Film Svima, ensuring accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences. The night will conclude with an open-air DJ set by Mario Kovač in the courtyard Theatre 21.
The final day, Saturday, August 23rd, begins at Theatre 21 under INA’s patronage, with a children’s screening of the animated film “Flow”, which premiered in the “Un Certain Regard” program at the Cannes Film Festival and was hailed by IndieWire critics as “one of the most significant animated films about nature since Bambi.” At the same time, a panel discussion on the topic of movement in film, organized under the patronage of the Sisak-Moslavina County Tourist Board and led by film critic and festival selector Iva Rosandić, will be held. At 3 p.m., visitors will have the chance to meet and chat with young filmmakers from the competition program during Small Film Talks hosted by Lucija Češkić, followed by the final competition screening and the traditional film quiz organized in collaboration with Kvizopija — Sisak’s first pub quiz — with INA providing stellar prizes for the best teams. The festival will conclude at 8 p.m. with the awards ceremony, the announcement of winners, and a DJ set by Saša Tadić.
Matija Holjevac emphasized that everyone at Star Film Fest can find their own star, their own corner of content, and highlighted the importance of the 24 student films in the competition program, which affirm the festival’s mission to be a platform for young talent and a first step into the film world.
Damir Butković, representative of SFF’s general sponsor INA, expressed pride that INA is once again part of the Star Film Fest story, which, together with the Kino Klub Sisak, continuously enriches the cultural life of Sisak and creates opportunities for youth development through film art, creative expression, and critical thinking. Butković also stated his confidence that this year’s program will attract a large audience.
In closing, the organizers thanked the City of Sisak as the festival’s general patron and INA as the general sponsor, as well as other supporters: the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Sisak-Moslavina County, the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, sponsor Studena, and donor Boom Box, who will accompany this year’s cinematic journey around the stars.
JOIN US IN MOTION AT THE 12TH STAR FILM FEST FROM AUGUST 21 TO 23 FOR ANOTHER UNFORGETTABLE CINEMATIC ORBIT AROUND THE STARS!
The entire press conference you can watch the online on our Facebook page.
