This Wednesday, Cinehill continues its series of film screenings at filming locations • Zagreb served as the perfect backdrop for the film adaptation of Kafka’s nightmare.
“This is the best film I’ve ever made.” This was stated by the legendary director Orson Welles about his film The Trial, which he made in 1962. Recorded in Zagreb. This film is the latest addition to the summer film series organised by Cinehill, called Zagreb – City of Film. Wednesday, 20 August offers a unique opportunity to experience this classic on the Gradec plateau, overlooking the cathedral, which was itself an important part of the film’s set design. The screening starts at 21:00, admission is free. The film, starring the famous Anthony Perkins, is a screen adaptation of Franz Kafka’s cult novel in which bank clerk Josef K. is accused of an unknown crime and forced to confront an irrational bureaucracy. Zagreb proved to be the ideal backdrop for this disturbing study of an individual’s struggle against a powerful and absurd system. It was here that Orson Welles met Olga Palinkaš, later known as Oja Kodar, his long-time partner and collaborator.
Welles’ journey to Zagreb was more than just a coincidence. As he himself emphasised, at a time when Kafka’s native Prague was under Soviet censorship, he found the true spirit of Central Europe in Zagreb. The combination of modern architecture and heritage from past centuries has allowed for the transformation of recognisable cityscapes into a dystopian labyrinth. Practicality also played a crucial role: to film the office scene with as many as 850 desks, Welles needed a huge space. No film studio in Europe could offer that, but the Zagreb Fair complex was ideal – and larger than any studio. The famous director also used Radićeva street, the Stone Gate, the cathedral, the Croatian National Theatre, and the Public Open University in Zagreb for the filming. Earlier on the same day, there will be a walking tour of the filming locations. The tour starts at 19:30 on Ban Jelačić Square. All interested please contact EvenTura collective at Instagram or via email: eventurazagreb@gmail.com.
The program continues with two more screenings at authentic filming locations. On Tuesday, 26 August, at Dolac Market, we are screening Armour of God, an action spectacle starring Jackie Chan, while on Thursday, 28 August, we are gathering by the main stage in Maksimir Park, for the screening of the popular children’s film My Grandpa Is an Alien.
All films are sccreening with Croatian and English subtitles. The Zagreb – City of Film program was created with the support of the City of Zagreb, Zagreb Tourist Board, Zagreb City Museum, and the Confucius Institute at the University of Zagreb, in collaboration with local tour guides and film professionals.
