In our age of spectacle, Cinehill holds true to its greatest distinction – six days of film, nature & togetherness in informal atmosphere at the heart of Gorski Kotar

There are but a few film festivals in the world where the walk to a film screening takes you along the shores of a lake, or where you might find yourself chatting with an Oscar winner in an enchanted forest. This is precisely what has become the hallmark of Cinehill, which this Tuesday, 21 July, once again transforms Fužine into one of the most extraordinary festival locations in existence.

This year’s edition presents over one hundred films and almost as many guests – directors, actors, producers, and artists – taking part in screenings, Q&As, panel discussions, and a wealth of side events across six festival days.

Oscar winner Edward Berger, Macedonian filmmaker Teona Strugar Mitevska, acting legend Zijah Sokolović, cult directors Goran Marković and Rajko Grlić, and dozens of other film artists will this week be part of the most vibrant cinematic gathering in this part of Europe.

The very first day is already packed with highlights. The projectors come on as early as 13:00 at the festival centre in Rakov Jarak with a screening of The Wedding, the biggest regional box-office hit, directed by Igor Šeregi, this year’s Main Program jury member of the. This is followed by Mother, in which acting star Noomi Rapace upends the idealised image of Mother Teresa. The first day also brings one of the program’s most talked-about films, the Israeli-Palestinian drama The Sea, whose producer Baher Agbariya likewise arrives at the festival as a jury member.

“On Tuesday, the cinemas open their doors as early as 13:00, while the opening ceremony starts at 20:00 when we’ll gather in our woodland film oasis at Rakov Jarak and sail into a new adventure to the sounds of the Fužine Wind Orchestra. The evening continues at 21:00, with a screening of the Polish title of the year, The Altar Boys – a family comedy about a group of boys, who steal money from the greedy priests, and in the manner of Robin Hood, give it to those in need. Joining us will be the film’s director Piotr Domalewski. After the screening, we’ll carry on late into the night with the music program”, said Cinehill Director Igor Mirković.

Cinehill’s signature feature remains its carefully curated auteur programme, bringing the most compelling films from festivals around the world. This year, the audiences can also look forward to Minotaur, the new film from the acclaimed Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev, winner of the Cannes Grand Prix; the American meta-horror comedy Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, starring Gillian Anderson; and the intriguing Belgian psychological drama Dust.

The program also includes the winner of the Grand Golden Arena arriving straight from the Pula Film Festival, Honey Bunny, directed by Igor Jelinović. Joining the director in Fužine will be Pula winners for best leading and supporting actress, Snježana Sinovčić Šiškov and Aleksandra Janković. Audiences will also have the chance to see several other award-winning titles from Pula – the dark Serbian drama Our Father, a minority Croatian co-production, the aforementioned The Wedding, and the Croatian animated feature The Crystal Planet.

A special draw this year is the partner country – Montenegro. Cinehill will present a cross-section of contemporary Montenegrin cinema through fiction, documentary, and short films, alongside conversations with filmmakers who have been making an increasingly strong impression at European festivals in recent years. Alongside screenings of films such as 15 and a Half, Black Trumpet, and Forever Hold Your Peace, audiences can look forward to panels on regional co-productions and the presentation of a monograph on contemporary Montenegrin cinema.

One of the festival’s most intriguing focuses takes us to the opposite end of the world – Greenland. Documentary films from the ice-clad island will provide the backdrop for a conversation with Greenlandic activist and former member of the Danish Parliament, Aaja Chemnitz.

The festival will also offer a rare encounter with a piece of film history. Thanks to a collaboration with Zagreb Film, Fužine will host the original Oscar statuette of Dušan Vukotić, the only Oscar winner from the region, alongside screenings of his films The Substitute and Visitors from the Arkana Galaxy, as well as the documentary about this famed artist, Vud, You Won!

The evenings after the screenings are traditionally reserved for music. Audiences can look forward to performances by Vojko V, Svebor Mihael Jelić, the duo Cura i dečko, and the band Idu Hobiti, along with a rich DJ program featuring Felver, Mario Kovač, Greenlight Collective, and DISCO KSET. Beyond the music program, the festival will offer a range of other free events – from quiz master Morana Zibar’s film trivia quiz and children’s workshops, to encounters with the owl Scar and hawk Braco from the falconry society, as well as a wealth of food and wine at the Forest of Flavours, which celebrates the cuisine of Gorski Kotar.

A novelty of this year’s edition is a stronger connection between culture and sport. As Primorje-Gorski Kotar County holds the title of the European Region of Sport, the final festival day – Sunday 26 July – will be dedicated to recreation and outdoor activities, with hiking, SUP paddling, screenings of sports films, and the theatre performance Training directed by Paško Vukasović.

While others offer red carpets and urban glamour, Fužine offers forest shade, cinemas under the stars, conversations with filmmakers free of formality, and the feeling that here, film is the perfect occasion for togetherness. More information on films, screening schedules, ticketing, and other details may be found on the festival website: cinehill.eu.

“This year we’ve sold almost twice as many tickets in online pre-sales as last summer. If the morning is anything to go by, it’s going to be a fantastic year”, said Igor Mirković. The festival is co-organised with the Municipality of Fužine and supported by the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Kvarner Tourist Board, and the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.