54th Croatian Children’s Film Festival ended with the award ceremony
October 8th 2016 – Croatian Film Association and Udruga DokuMa organized 54th Croatian Children’s Film Festival in Makarska from October 5th to October 8th 2016. It was also sponsored by CAVC, CATC, City of Makarska, Makarska Tourism Board and Hotel Makarska d.d. together with organizational partners SUNCE Makarska and Lanterna Counseling.
After three days of film treats, adult and children’s jury awarded over 30 prizes to the best authors. With a diploma and a little gift from Croatian Film Association, awarded filmmakers by the adult jury will next year participate at the Children and Youth Film Workshops in Kraljevica. Children’s jury which consists of 13 members this year again had international members who came, alongside with children from Makarska schools, from Macedonia, Italy and Albania. Adult jury consisted of animator Petra Zlonoga, counselor at the Children’s ombudsman office Maja Flego, photography director Boris Poljak, producer Jacqueline Cosgrove and director Kristina Kumrić. Adult jury awarded the first prize to a documentary Jorum (Filmski vitezovi, Grigor Vitez Elementary School, Zagreb) with the explanation how filmmakers should be congratulated for this beautiful representation of a boy with a gorgeous personality who has lots to offer to his new country. They decided on a special mention for a film Fran Luka (Udruga ZAG, Marija J. Zagorka Elementary School) with the explanation how the value of the film is in the possibility to give a voice to a child and allowing him to honestly present himself and how he deals with his condition while at the same time showing his talents. Children’s jury obviously agrees with their opinion because they have awarded their first prize to Fran Luka.
In the animated film category, adult jury awarded first prize to the film Chestnuts (FKVK Zaprešić, Zaprešić) and they say that it is an original and creative story which successfully connects various techniques of animation in a visually appealing and humorous way. Special mention went to the film Little Spider (ŠAF Čakovec, Čakovec).
Little spider brought a skillful connection of various animating techniques, simple yet impressive character design and warm story make this film extremely well rounded and mature piece – was the explanation given by the adult jury. ŠAF from Čakovec won the first prize by the children’s jury for their animated film Wake up.
In the TV report category, professional jury awarded the first prize to the film Again with the Facebook… (Filmska grupa OŠ JUrja Šižgorića, Šibenik).
Film is dealing with current problem which is shown from various angles giving the insight to children and adult opinions about privacy protection in modern ways of communicating – explained by the adult jury. Children’s jury gave the first prize to the film Taste of Home (FD OŠ Sveti Petar Orehovec).
Best fiction film of the Festival was Hooomework (Filmska skupina OŠ Skakavac, Skakavac).
As it was explained by the jury – It was a hilarious film that won us over by their childlike playfulness and discovered the mystery of where does homework actually go. Special mention went to the Dark Film (FKVK Zaprešić) because of, as they say, amazingly done film border lining fiction and experimental which uses, for children’s film creation, innovative way of filming (green screen). Children’s jury gave the first prize to the fiction film Badger (Filmska skupina OŠ Zapruđe, Zagreb).
In the free style category, adult jury gave the first prize to the film Each Morning (FKVK Zaprešić, Zaprešić) and they say that this is filmed in an attractive manner, full of movement and unusual visual attractions and it manages to create a rounded unit through its dramaturgy. Children’s jury awarded the first prize to the film Holy Cellphone (Udruga “Hodači po žici” OŠ Rudeš, Zagreb).
After Makarska, next year we are moving to Sisak with our traveling film festival and we will be there from 28th until the 1st of October. Sisak has hosted this festival three times while the last year it has happened 41 year ago in the 1975 so it is time for 55th Croatian Children’s Film Festival to happen exactly in Sisak. To leave the spirit of children’s film in Makarska, Croatian Film Archives at the Croatian National Archives gave the children and adults a premier edition of the film posters exhibition called “Children and film”, which was, next to the award ceremony, the best way to close the Festival.
08.10.2016.