22-11-2021

FESTIVALS: Great Freedom Takes Top Award at 2021 Zagreb Film Festival

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    Zagreb Film Festival 2021 Zagreb Film Festival 2021 credit: Samir Cerić Kovačević/ZFF

    ZAGREB: The Golden Pram for best feature film went to the Austrian/German film Great Freedom by Sebastian Meise at the closing ceremony of the Zagreb Film Festival on 20 November 2021.

    The jury for feature films, consisting of Romanian actress Katia Pascariu, Serbian director Ivan Ikić, and Croatian cinematographer Vanja Černul, awarded a special mention to the Croatian comedy drama The Staffroom directed by Sonja Tarokić and produced by Ankica Jurić Tilić and her company Kinorama. The long-awaited premiere of Tarokić’s film was considered one of the main events at the Festival, together with the off-competition screening of the Bosnian comedy Not So Friendly Neighborhood Affair directed by Danis Tanović and produced by Obala Art Centar.

    The director of the best feature film was awarded the Golden Pram and 4,000 EUR. The director of the best short feature film got the Golden Pram and 1.000 EUR. In addition to that, the director of the best Croatian film in the Checkers Programme will receive the 15.000 HRK / 2,000 EUR provided by the Croatian Film Directors Guild.

    The festival’s extensive industry programme saw the launch of Series Rough Pitch – the Balkan Way, with eight participating projects including two from Croatia and one each from Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Serbia.

    Full list of awards:

    Golden Pram for best feature film:
    Great Freedom (Austria, Germany)
    Directed by Sebastian Meise

    Special mention in the feature film competition:
    The Staffroom (Croatia)
    Directed by Sonja Tarokić
    Produced by Kinorama

    The Golden Pram for best international short film:
    North Pole (Macedonia, Russia, Hungary)
    Directed by Marija Apčevska
    Produced by Kino Oko
    Coproduced by Servia film, Forgrade, Tivoli Production

    Special mention in the international short film competition:
    Dad’s Sneakers (Ukraine)
    Directed by Olha Zhurba

    The Golden Pram in Checkers, the Croatian short film competition:
    Fall of Our Summer (Croatia)
    Directed by Karlo Vorih
    Produced by Academy of Dramatic Art

    Special mention in Checkers competition:
    Everything Ahead (Croatia)
    Directed by Mate Ugrin
    Produced by Dinaridi film