About Festival

FOREWORD BY IGOR RAKONIĆ, Festival Director

Film festivals unlike anything else, are the best way to connect us with remote people, cultures, traditions and venues. Actually, if you look closely, with minor differences, the vast majority of people live very similar lives today. We were told that we are in the global financial crisis, and also, one day will be announced that the crisis is over. The answer to the question who gets when everyone lose, may be hiding in one of the films from this year's festival.

As our festival would not have lost momentum, despite adverse circumstances, with the unreserved support of our public television HRT, we introduce a major novelty - TV Market. The television component will be crucial for longevity and development of the festival. TV Market will appeal to television producers and other professionals of Danubian region who will be able to buy and sell programs, and share experiences in Vukovar.

So we will create conditions for the generations which will lead the festival after us, have a great foundation on which to build their creative ideas. On behalf of the organizers of the festival, I thank everyone who helped us to bring the river of movies into the city who deserves the best.

 IGOR RAKONIĆ, FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

Opening words of the Vukovar City Mayor

This will be the fourth time to meet on the barge along the bank of the Danube in Vukovar. Again we are gathered by a good film and even better atmosphere that this great local event carries, our Vukovar Film Festival.

Year after year we have seen festival programe quality and organisational professionalism rise, and this year the festival is gaining new locations. The screenings will be held, in addition to the usual places – Ružička's house and the barge on the Danube - in Cinema Borovo village. Festival is even more closer to Vukovar, and weaves in all aspects of the City. Discovery Company, co-founder of the Festival, has put together an interesting and high quality programe, ranging from Danubian countries' films to international hits, documentaries and cartoons. And when the wealth and other pleasures of our region are added to the programe so rich, along with irreplaceable relaxing effect of the Danube - success is inevitable.

The particularity of this year's festival is sponsorship by a Croatian President,  the highest state level award given for the value and importance of Vukovar Film Festival at the national level.

Warm and gentle Slavonia, Vukovar - a city with troubled and painful history, and Danube - European link, again will create all the warm and welcoming atmosphere of a true film festival.

VUKOVAR CITY MAYOR MR ŽELJKO SABO, THEOLOGIST