49th Pula Film Festival 2002

Back in the 1970’s, the Pula Festival of Yugoslav Film on the Adriatic Coast was deemed by critics a top European event. In its open-air 2nd-century Vespasian arena), circa 12,000 turned out nightly to view, applaud, whistle, or boo a potpourri of films from the Yugoslav republics. But when, in 1991, a Croatian flag was raised over the arena, the other republics walked out ­ and stayed away for the next ten years. To offset government interference under former President Franjo Tudjman, an alternative festival was founded in 1999 in Motovun, a short distance away in a picturesque medieval fortress-town that was supported by the local Istrian government. This year, bowing to pressure to reorganize itself, Pula rechristened itself a »Croatian and European Film Festival« under festival director Armando Debeljuh and the patronage of President Stjepan Mesic.

        The 49th Pula Film Festival (20-25 July 2002) offered its public a double competition: 7 new Croatian features, plus 14 European features and documentaries. The international jury awarded the Golden Arena for Best European Film to Otar Yoseliani’s Monday Morning (France/Italy). Tom Tykwer’s Heaven (Germany) received the awards for Best Screenplay (Krzysztof Pieciewicz) and Best Actor (Giovanni Ribisi). Isabelle Huppert was awarded Best Actress in Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher (Austria-France) and Maximilian Schell’s My Sister Maria (Austria) was named Best Documentary.

        The Golden Arena for Best Croatian Film was awarded to Dalibor Matanic’s Nice Dead Girls, a well-made psycho-thriller about two young girls whose lesbian relationship challenges the mores of a provincial town. Vicko Ruic’s Seraphim, The Lighthouse Keeper’s Son, a family chronicle set during the Habsburg Monarchy, was awarded the Golden Arena for Best Cinematography (Silvio Jesenkov) ­ and later invited to compete at the Montreal World Film Festival. Another prizewinner, Davor Zmegac’s Winter in Rio, drew critical praise for its honest treatment of losers in a combat unit returning home after the war in Croatia. This year, Pula will be 50 ­ Motovun 5 ­ years old. A double festival feast!

­ rh