From 21 to 26 July, five days of outstanding films, screened in a hidden forest oasis of Fužine • Maverick Award goes to the director of Conclave and All Quiet on the Western Front • Ticket presale starts on 1 June
In a place that sultry nights and bad news have trouble reaching, surrounded by the untouched nature of Gorski Kotar, for the fourth year in a row, a summer asylum awaits all film lovers looking to escape. Cinehill Festival will take place from 21 to 26 July, back in the location embraced by our audiences the year before – the town of Fužine and its surrounding lakes. The daytime screenings will take place in two big tents, while the evening brings open-air screenings under the starry night sky. Once again, Cinehill is building a hidden forest oasis with 10 and more screenings every day.
This year’s program’s main news is the arrival of the Austrian-Swiss Oscar winner Edward Berger, the director of Conclave and All Quiet on the Western Front, and the laureate of this year’s honorary Maverick prize. As part of the program, we will be screening a retrospective of Berger’s films that have placed him on the map of must-see directors.
“We are looking forward to welcoming an author who directed actors like Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini, Colin Farrell, and Tilda Swinton, with his upcoming film headlined by Brad Pitt. His diverse career features festiva arthouse hits, major productions, one of the most successful European series of this century, and has recently ventured into directing a revolutionary VR film. Edward Berger is a man who doesn’t shrink before a challenge. It is an honor to have him accept our award and we are lloking foward to meeting him in Fužine”, says Festival Director Igor Mirković.
Known for his intense visual style and deep character studies tackling the topics of war and loss, Berger successfully balances between auteur cinema and high-budget Hollywood productions. He made his international breakthrough in 2015, with his series Deutschland 83, the first German series screened in the US, followed by the praised mini-series Patrick Melrose, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which earned him a BAFTA Award.
After the huge success of Patrick Melrose, he was offered numerous high-budget Hollywood projects, but Berger declined them all and returned to Germany to shoot All Quiet on the Western Front. This historical drama marks a career highlight, winning four Oscars, including the one for Best International Film. His last feature project, the political thriller Conclave (2024), received eight Oscar nominations, winning the golden statuette for Best Adapted screenplay.
The six-day marathon in Fužine will be accompanied by a host of side events: from music program to eco workshops and conversations with artists. As the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County boasts the title of a 2026 European Region of Sport, one festival day will eb dedicated to exploring active recreational offer in Gorski Kotar, such as those of the lakes Bajer and Lepenica, as well as the surrounding hills.
“If you want to escape the highway traffic, scorching asphalt and constant bad news about the current events, Cinehill is the place to be – we are offering an excellent program, even better company, and enchanting, refreshing nature,” tells us Igor Mirković.
Presale of festival ticket packages at best prices starts at 1 June. Adventure and nature lovers will be happy to know the ticket package also serves as a ticket for the festival camp, which is situated between two lakes.
In addition to Fužine, the festival will also have parallel screenings in Rijeka and Karlovac, while a selection of premiering films from the program will be presented at the Cinehill in Zagreb revue. The project’s realisation is made possible by the co-organization of the Municipality of Fužine and the support of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Kvarner Tourist Board, and the Croatian Audiovisual Center.
