International Winners at the 4th Zagreb Tourfilm Festival

“Time” from Switzerland Wins the Festival Grand Prix.

The Grand Prix for the best film of the Zagreb Tourfilm Festival was awarded to “Time” from Switzerland, and the same film won the best film award in the category of films shorter than three minutes. The award ceremony marked the end of this year’s three-day Zagreb Tourfilm festival. Even though this was its only 4th edition, it is already a full member of CIFFT – the International Association of Tourist Film Festivals – and is becoming more and more popular.

This year included the largest number of films so far. Film fans could see some of the best tourist films in the world. More than 560 films from 52 countries have applied to be included in the festival, including works from countries such as Bangladesh, Peru, Bahamas, Vietnam, Portugal, Spain, Azerbaijan, Dominican Republic, etc. The organizers of the festival, Zagreb Tourist Board and Balduči Film, were especially proud of the number of countries which have sent their films to the festival, because it shows that all of these countries have heard of Croatia, Zagreb and the Zagreb Tourfilm Festival.

“The selected films cover a diverse thematic range, from promotion of tourist destinations, adventure activities, extreme sports, nautical tourism, hotels and resorts, different cultures and traditions, to religious and rural tourism”, said Spomenka Saraga, director of the Zagreb Tourfilm Festival.

Lovers of travel could enjoy films in four categories: videos/films up to 3 minutes, promotional films up to 7 minutes, promotional films up to 60 minutes, and finally TV reportages and TV documentaries up to 60 minutes. The films were screened at the Mimara Museum and the admission was free.

After the pre-competition process, 86 films were selected for official competition. The best films were chosen by a panel which included Croatian and European experts. The president of the jury was English travel journalist and photographer Stuart Forster, while the members were Alexander Kammel, director of CIFFT; Pave Župan Rusković, former Croatian tourism minister; Alfi Kabiljo, famous Croatian composer, conductor, music arranger, producer, librettist; Zdenka Šutak, head of DMO Sector in the Ministry of Tourism; Ivana Maltar, director of Destination Management and Development Support Department; Damir Trputec from the Alladin Travel Agency; and Miro Branković, director from the Croatian Radio-Television.

Awards were presented at a gala dinner at the Hotel Esplanade, and the entire festival was held under the auspices of Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Ministry of Tourism, and mayor of Zagreb Milan Bandić. The prize for best film in the category of films up to seven minutes was awarded to the Belgian film Could Only Happen In Ghent, while Izrael’s AKKO – The Secrets of the City Above And the City Below was the winner among films up to 60 minutes. The best TV documentary up to 60 minutes was a Canadian-Vietnamese production When the Villagers Go. The best Croatian film up to three minutes was Share Istria. Cycling in Istria won the award for Croatian films up to seven minutes, while Đardini Inspirations is the best Croatian TV reportage up to 60 minutes. The lifetime achievement award “Promotion of Tourism – Style of Life”, which is presented by the Zagreb Tourfilm Festival to individuals who have devoted their entire lives to the guests of Croatia and to the promotion of Croatia abroad, was presented to a well-known tourist expert Mr. Anđelko Leko.

“In addition to the film screenings, we have organized accompanying programs for the visitors of the festival, including panel discussions and workshop “In the Service of Promoting Tourism”, where Stuart Forster, David Cooper and others explained how destinations should be presented, and what are the main features of tourist photos and reportages”, Saraga concluded.

Other awards
PUTZWAGELI – best screenplay
MICHAEL FUETER – best director for “Time”
WHITE NIGHT MAGIC (Finland) – best cinematography
TIME (Switzerland) – best music
CORDOBA – best editing
A NEW IMPERIAL HISTORY – MEMORIES (Austria) – best artistic impression
AKKO – The Secrets of the City Above And the City Below (Israel) – best animation
FISH TOUR PORTUGAL (Portugal) – special award presented by director of the Zagreb Tourfilm Festival Spomenka Saraga
INSPIRED BY STONE (Croatia) – special award presented by director of the Zagreb Tourfilm Festival Spomenka Saraga
ANAMEL DOME (Iran) – special award presented by director of the Zagreb Tourfilm Festival Spomenka Saraga

 

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