The crowd raised banners with their favourite films high in the air • The audience greeted the gathered nurses with huge applause before the screening of the Late Shift portraying hardworking hospital staff
“What is your favourite movie?”, the festival organisers asked the viewers, guests, and film lovers gathered at the packed Damside Theatre in the centre of Fužine, inaugurating the first edition of the Cinehill Festival in Fužine. This was followed by a group photo of all gathered with pieces of paper raised high containing the names of their favourite films. Numerous filmmakers in the audience did the same, including one of the world’s greatest living directors, Jafar Panahi, the guest of honour at this year’s Cinehill.
The festival opening was preceded by a bonfire ceremony to get rid of all of our worries, and a procession walking from the festival centre in Rakov Jarak to downtown Fužine, led by the drumming collective Drum’n’Bijes and the Feministički Tamburaški Front. At the opening ceremony itself, numerous nurses who arrived at the invitation of the festival were greeted with a big applause for their arduous work in healthcare. The reason for this was the opening film, the Swiss drama Late Shift, tackling the problem of nurse and hospital staff shortages in the world. The gathered audience was also greeted by representatives of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and the Kvarner Tourist Board, who wholeheartedly support this festival. “Our county encourages and promotes film culture, and Cinehill greatly contributes to the appeal and development potential of the Gorski Kotar,” said Toni Štimac and Irena Peršić Živadinov. The Mayor of the Municipality of Fužine, Ana Merle, also joined in the words of praise.
“This Fužine fusion is amazing, blending Swiss films, mountaineer hospitality, and the festival’s professionalism,” highlighted Urs Hammer, the Ambassador of Switzerland – this year’s festival partner country, adding that Gorski Kotar is very similar to Switzerland and is a worthy substitute for his home. The screening of the silent film The Sun of St. Moritz, with piano accompaniment of the exceptional Swiss pianist, Cinzia Regensburger, in the beautiful ambience of the forest at Rakov Jarak aroused great audience interest on the first day. The evening rounded off with a concert by legendary Croatian singer-songwriter Darko Rundek and his Eco Quartet. Before Cinehill ends on 27 July, it will screen more than a hundred films in Fužine and the surrounding towns, with a rich side program full of music, entertainment, and ecological events, as well as those for children. “Maybe one of these films will become your new favourite”, concluded Cinehill director Igor Mirković.
