Cinema in the Theatre

Cinema in the Theatre

Thursday, November 14th - CELEBRATION (orig. PROSLAVA)

Croatia, 86 minutes, 2024. 

Director: Bruno Anković

Writer: Jelena Paljan

Based on the novel by Damir Karakaš

Cast: Bernard Tomić, Krešimir Mikić, Klara Fiolić, Lars Štern, Jan Doležal, Nedim Nezirović, Tanja Smoje, David Tasić Daf, Izudin Bajrović

Producers: Rea Rajčić i Tina Tišljar

Production: Eclectica

"Celebration" directed by Bruno Anković and written by Jelena Paljan, is based on the eponymous, multi-award-winning novel by Damir Karakaš. The film follows twenty years in the life of the main character and his family in a poor village in Lika.

At the end of World War II, exhausted and defeated, the soldier Mijo hides in the forest. From his hiding place, he watches his native village, where he cannot return. Mijo takes us on a journey into the past, and through three key moments of his life, we explore the circumstances that lead to extremism in society. The main character, Mijo, is portrayed by three actors: Bernard Tomić, Lars Štern, and Jan Doležal. Krešimir Mikić plays the role of the father, Klara Fiolić plays Mijo's wife, Drenka, and the film also stars Tanja Smoje, Nedim Nezirović, David Tasić Daf, and Izudin Bajrović. 

"The Celebration" had its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and won the Grand Golden Arena for Best Croatian Film at the Pula Film Festival. It also won Golden Arenas for Best Screenplay, Cinematography, and Best Male Actor (Bernard Tomić).

The director of photography is Aleksandar Pavlović, the editor is Tomislav Stojanović, and Julij Zornik did sound design and mixing. The music was composed by Alen and Nenad Sinkauz. The production designer is Bojan Drezgić, the costume designer is Morana Starčević, and the makeup artist is Snježana Gorup. The film's producers are Tina Tišljar and Rea Račić (Eclectica), and the distributor is Hulahop.