Auf dem Festival in Karlovy Vary Premiere "Kleine Diebe" Mate Ugrina

At the prestigious Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Croatian filmmaker Mate Ugrin’s debut feature Sitni lopovi premiered in competition, marking a notable achievement for the country's cinematic landscape. The festival, which runs from July 3rd to July 11th, has become one of Europe’s most respected platforms for independent cinema, alongside Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Locarno. Alongside Ugrin’s film, two other Croatian entries, Tri tjedna kasnije by Miroslav Terzić and the minority co-produced Rahlo by Josip Schmucha, were showcased in different sections of the festival. These selections highlight Croatia’s growing presence in international film circles. The premiere of Sitni lopovi, held during the festival’s Proxima section dedicated to new voices in world cinema, was attended by director Ugrin, producer Daria Blažević, and actors Gavrilo Jović, Tea Ljubešić, and Izudin Bajrović. The film follows a quiet young man named Rio, who works part-time in a restaurant and occasionally steals small items while caring for his father suffering from dementia. His life takes an unexpected turn when he is caught by Andrea, a nail technician who frequents a spa catering to wealthy tourists. She proposes they team up to rob her clients, setting off a series of events that challenge both their morality and their relationship. The production of Sitni lopovi was supported by several European institutions, including the Croatian Audiovisual Center, the French CNC, the Hamburg Film Office, and the MEDIA program under Creative Europe. The film is a co-production involving Croatian organization Kadromat, French company In the Cut, German Fünferfilm, and Serbian Nanslafu films. Key producers include Tiphaine Robion, Julia Cöllen, Karsten Krause, Frank Scheuffele, and Jelena Angelovski. The film’s narrative explores themes of guilt, complicity, and the blurred lines between right and wrong, offering a nuanced portrayal of everyday life in rural Croatia. In addition to Sitni lopovi, the festival featured Tri tjedna kasnije, directed by Miroslav Terzić, which competes for the Crystal Globe award. The film, produced by This and That Productions and Hit and Run Productions, is a co-production with Italian Nightswim, Luxembourg-based Paul Thiltges Distributions, Bulgarian Invictus, and Croatian Kinorama. It received financial support from the Serbian Film Center, the Ministry of Culture of Serbia, the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, the Luxembourg Film Fund, the Bulgarian Film Center, the Croatian Audiovisual Center, and Creative Europe, MEDIA. Another entry in the festival’s Future Frames program, which showcases recent graduates of European film schools, is the short film Rahlo by Josip Schmucha. The film tells a poignant story of life after war, featuring performances by Radoslava Mrkšić, Luka Knez, Tea Ljubešić, Areta Ćurković, and Iva Kraljević. The production includes cinematographer Dora Čaldarović, editor Marta Bregeš, set designer Petra Bošnjak, costume designer Katarina Bilan, mask maker Ivan Lončar, and others. Meanwhile, the Pula Film Festival, another major Croatian cinematic event, highlighted several standout films. Among them, Sitni lopovi stood out for its emotional depth and critical acclaim, earning the FIPRESCI Critics' Award at Karlovy Vary. The film’s premiere in Pula was particularly meaningful given that Ugrin is a native of the city, and much of the film was shot there. While some critics noted that the narrative loses momentum toward the end, the film’s initial scenes were praised for their authenticity and subtle storytelling. Other notable entries included Ono što treba činiti by Srđan Kovačević, a documentary that won awards at Belgrade’s Beldoc and Ljubljana’s Documentary Film Festival. The film examines the role of a workers’ council in supporting employees facing hardship, offering a critical look at labor rights and corporate responsibility. Meanwhile, Svadba by Igor Šeregi, a comedy exploring the tensions between Croats and Serbs through the lens of a wedding, sparked widespread discussion despite being initially rejected multiple times by the Croatian Audiovisual Center before receiving final approval. As the festival continues, audiences and critics alike will have more opportunities to engage with these diverse and thought-provoking works, further cementing Croatia’s place in the global cinematic conversation.