Documentary Lessons in Humanity directed by Branko Istvancic has been selected for Docs for Sale 2019 at IDFA International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam.

Docs for Sale facilitates sales of high-end documentaries by gathering all interested parties under one roof, as well as bringing them together through the Docs for Sale online services. Over the years, it has grown into one of the world’s premier markets for documentary cinema. Docs for Sale welcomes artistic documentaries from all over the world, and is open to films that target cinema, television, and online audiences.

Every year, more than 300 TV buyers, sales agents, distributors and festival programmers convene in Amsterdam to watch a selection of the very latest and best documentaries available to the international market. The Docs for Sale Lounge, Meet the Professionals sessions and various other activities offer great networking opportunities. Throughout the year, the market's catalogue is available to registered buyers through Docs for Sale online.

Unwanted heritage new documentary directed by Irena Škorić selected in ZagrebDox 2017

The 13th edition of the International Documentary film festival Zagrebdox presented new documentary film Unwanted heritage directed by Irena Skoric in the programme Controversial Dox. The film centres around the destiny of artistic works turned into waste, but also around the society that has renounced its history and valuable art. Festivals and awards: Sarajevo Film Festival 2016; „BaNeFF, Stockholm 2016. - Best Documentary Film Award

Documentary about French volunteer killed in Vukovar premiered in Zagreb

A documentary about Jean-Michel Nicolier, a French volunteer in the Croatian Homeland Defence who was killed by Serb paramilitaries during the Vukovar atrocities, was shown in the Cinema Europa in Zagreb on Wednesday evening.

The film titled "Sve je bio dobar san" ('Le Frenchie de Vukowar' ) by director Branko Istvancic is about the events in 1991 when Croatia was exposed to the aggression lunched by Serb rebels and Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and when a 25-year-old French volunteer Jean-Michel Nicolier arrived in Vukovar to help the Croatian forces to defend the city.

Nicollier watched the Croatian war of independence on television in France, and decided to travel to Croatia. In September 1991, Nicollier arrived in Vukovar, and he was wounded twice in the three months he was there. Nicollier was treated in the Vukovar hospital until the fall of Vukovar on 18 November 1991. On 20 November 1991, he was interviewed by a French reporter, Agnes Vahramian, and described his experience in Vukovar as "a slaughterhouse". The same day, he was taken from the hospital by Yugoslav People's Army and paramilitary Serb forces and transported to the Ovcara farm. At Ovara, according to later witness testimonies, Nicollier was viciously beaten, and killed by a gunshot to the head.

The documentary presents tragic events from the point of view of Nicolier's mother, Lyliane Fournier, who is searching for information and clues that may help her to find the remains of her son and bury him in a dignified manner.

In the  90-minute film, some eye-witnesses speak about their experiences, including Dragutin Berghofer-Beli who survived the torture and executions at Ovcara.

Jean-Michel Nicolier was one of 481 foreign volunteers who fought with the Croatian defenders in the war of independence.

Author: Hina

"Bridge at the End of the World" in Montreal’s programme

The 38th edition of the Montreal World Film Festival (Festival des Films du Monde), taking place 21 August-1 September, will present Croatian film Bridge at the End of the World directed by Branko Istvancic in the programme Focus on World Cinema. Bridge at the End of the World, directed by Branko Istvancic will be presented to the Montreal audience in CINÉMA QUARTIER LATIN 17 on Wednesday August 27, 2014 - 07:00 PM and two other projection (Thursday August 28, 2014 - 01:50 PM and Saturday August 30, 2014 - 02:40 PM).

Bridge at the End of the World is based on a script written by Josip Mlakic and directed by Branko Istvancic. It focuses on unfortunate human destinies during the war in Croatia. In an atmosphere of fear, return of Serbian refugees to their homes now inhabited by Croats refuged from Bosnia, an old man disappears and the investigation of a police officer also living in a Serbian home becomes more and more personal. The director of photography was Branko Cahun, editor Veljko Segaric, and the cast includes Aleksandar Bogdanovic, Sanja Radisic, Boro Stjepanovic, Slaven Knezovic, Jelena Percin and others. The film premiered in the national competition of the recently finished 61st Pula Film Festival. The producer is Artizana film and the film was co-funded by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, and the Foundation for Cinema of Bosnia and Herzegovina. mojfilm HAVC

'I Love YU' in Montreal’s programme

Focus on World Cinema section will present the international festival premiere of I Love YU, written and directed byIrena Škorić. The story of this short film takes place in the coastal town Rijeka in the 1960s and 1970s and today, and the film’s leitmotiv is Dragan Stojnić’s song Bila je tako lijepa (She Was So Beautiful). The film stars Boris Pavlenić, Jelena Perčin, Lukrecija Brešković, Hrvoje Klobučar and Slaven Knezović, and it was produced by Artizana. The film description says: This film envelops the world of imagination, reality and memories with emotion. People, objects and images comprise a B-minor of love taking place then, now and forever.

This year’s edition of Montreal World Film Festival takes place 22 August – 2 September. Under the slogan The World is Yours, the festival will present 432 films from all over the world, categorised in 12 sections. More information about the festival can be obtained on the official website. HAVC

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We just finished new short fiction film "I love YU" by Irena Skoric

We just finished new short fiction film I love YU written and directed by Irena Skoric. This movie embraces the world of imagination, reality and memory with emotion. People, things, scenes and images make love B- flat which happens before, now and always.

The film was funded with the support of City of Rijeka and Croatian Audiovisual Centre

New documentary from our production

Silvio Mirosnicenko is completing production on Hills Village 21000 Split (Croatian title: Brda 21000 Split), a 60 minute a documentary which in a Fellini style represents the inhabitants of an unusual neighbourhood. We encounter a dentist and writer, a tired ex-boxer who had a carrier in Germany, a hardcore punk band Pas Maters, whose charismatic front man and lead singer mysteriously disappeared, an old soccer supporter with the last name Hajduk, an ex-hooligan diligently studying in a night school and many others. It is a complex portrait of an unusual Split neighbourhood and its even more unusual inhabitants with Hajduk (Croatian football team) as their religion.

The film was financially supported by the City of Split - Department of Culture and the Croatian Audiovisual Centre in Zagreb. Hills Village 21000 Split was shot from the end of 2009 to the end of 2010 and was in postproduction in 2011. Raul Brzic is the DOP and Pere Istvancic is music composer.

The film will be released in the cinemas and first festivals projection at the beginning of 2012.