As reported by Gloria.hr, and confirmed by the Croatian director Antoneta Alamat-Kusijanović, it is a great day for Croatian cinema as a Croatian film will return to Cannes. Her feature-length debut film ”Murina” was selected in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs. It is the second collaboration between Antoneta and the star of the film, Gracia Filipović, who was also the protagonist in her short film ”Into the Blue”, which won a special jury award at the Berlinale in 2017. The Croatian film ”Murina” was shot in the Croatian islands.
Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović and her 18-year old star, Gracia Filipović
The Croatian film “Murina” is a family drama about sixteen-year-old Julia. Her tense relationship with the oppressive father Ante reaches a breaking point when an old family friend arrives at their home on an isolated Croatian island. While his father tries to make a deal with him, the charismatic guest offers Julia freedom from her militaristic existence and arouses her revolt towards her family. During a weekend filled with high expectations, Julia drags her family into a dangerous whirlpool of passion and violence.
”Into the Blue”, the first collaboration between director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović and actress Gracia Filipović
Along with experienced actors, Leon Lučev from Šibenik, Danica Curcic from Denmark, and Cliff Curtis from New Zealand, the 18-year-old Gracia Filipović from Dubrovnik has the main role in “Murina”. An excellent steppe dancer and an excellent swimmer, Gracia has already collaborated with Antoneta, together they made the short film “Into the Blue”, which won a special jury award at the Berlin Film Festival in 2017, but also the Heart of Sarajevo for best film at the Sarajevo Film Festival.
Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović on the set of ”Murina”. (Photo: Mario Topić)
Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović is a Dubrovnik director with a degree from the Zagreb Academy of Dramatic Arts. She completed her postgraduate studies in film directing at Columbia University in New York and was also the first Croatian scholarship holder of the Cinefondation, a program to support the Cannes Film Festival to talented directors from all over the world.
“Murina” was produced by the Zagreb production company Antitalent and producer Daniel Peka, as well as the powerful Brazilian producer RT Features and the American Sikelia, backed by Oscar-winner Martin Scorsese. The film will be premiered in Cannes, as announced by director Antoneta Alamat-Kusijanović on an Instagram post.
Due to the pandemic, this year’s Cannes Film Festival was not held in its traditional May term, but films in the city on the Cote d’Azur will be screened from 6 to 17 July. And in its 74th edition, Cannes will show that it is the center of the film world. It will be opened by the long-awaited musical by Leos Carax “Annette” starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard, and the main guest of the opening will be the American actress Jane Fonda, who will be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović on the set of ”Murina”. (Photo: Mario Topić)
Quinzaine des Réalisateurs is a program organized by the French Association of Film Directors during the Cannes Film Festival. Launched back in 1969, it has crystallized over the years as perhaps the best representative of the new voices of world cinema. Oscar-winner Martin Scorsese also began his breakthrough in world cinema after showing the now cult film “Streets of Evil” starring Robert DeNiro in Cannes in 1974. Croatian cinema also has a long history with the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs program. Krsto Papić’s “Foxes” was shown here in 1970, and Vatroslav Mimica’s “Peasant Revolt”, in 1976.
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