The crowd raised banners with their favourite films high in the air \u2022 The audience greeted the gathered nurses with huge applause before the screening of the <\/b>Late Shift<\/i><\/b> portraying hardworking hospital staff <\/b><\/p>\n\n
\u201cWhat is your favourite movie?\u201d, the festival organisers asked the viewers, guests, and film lovers gathered at the packed Damside Theatre in the centre of Fu\u017eine, inaugurating the first edition of the <\/span>Cinehill Festival in Fu\u017eine<\/b>. 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\u2019s greatest living directors<\/span>, Jafar Panahi<\/b>, the guest of honour at this year\u2019s Cinehill.<\/span><\/p>\n\n 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 Fu\u017eine, led by the drumming collective Drum’n’Bijes and the Feministi\u010dki Tambura\u0161ki 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 <\/span>Late Shift<\/i><\/b>, tackling the problem of nurse and hospital staff shortages in the world.<\/span>
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\nThe gathered audience was also greeted by representatives of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and the Kvarner Tourist Board, who wholeheartedly support this festival. \u201c<\/span>Our county encourages and promotes film culture, and Cinehill greatly contributes to the appeal and development potential of the Gorski Kotar,<\/span><\/i>\u201d said <\/span>Toni \u0160timac <\/b>and<\/span> Irena Per\u0161i\u0107 \u017divadinov<\/b>. The Mayor of the Municipality of Fu\u017eine, <\/span>Ana Merle<\/b>, also joined in the words of praise. <\/span><\/p>\n\n \u201cThis Fu\u017eine fusion is amazing, blending Swiss films, mountaineer hospitality, and the festival\u2019s professionalism,\u201d highlighted <\/span>Urs Hammer<\/b>, the Ambassador of Switzerland \u2013 this year\u2019s festival partner country, adding that Gorski Kotar is very similar to Switzerland and is a worthy substitute for his home.<\/span>
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\nThe screening of the silent film <\/span>The<\/i><\/b> Sun of St. Moritz<\/i><\/b>, with piano accompaniment of the exceptional Swiss pianist, <\/span>Cinzia Regensburger<\/b>, 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 <\/span>Darko Rundek<\/b> and his Eco Quartet.<\/span>
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\nBefore Cinehill ends on 27 July, it will screen more than a hundred films in Fu\u017eine and the surrounding towns, with a rich side program full of music, entertainment, and ecological events, as well as those for children. \u201cMaybe one of these films will become your new favourite\u201d, concluded Cinehill director <\/span>Igor Mirkovi\u0107.<\/b><\/p>\n