Movies that document the wealth of Istria

In the evening, the central market square in Vaška, near the church, was filled with people gathered for the premiere of the documentary film Trukinja (Koruza). The film, directed by Valter Stojšić and co-authored by Viviana Brkarić, focuses on the disappearing Istrian-Romanian or Vlach language. Both creators were present at the screening, offering insights into their work. The film was shot near Mount Učko, and according to Brkarić, only around fifty people still speak the language today. The project explores the vanishing folk traditions of Istria, ranging from traditional practices to what they describe as “paranormal” customs. This focus has been central to their filmmaking efforts for years, and both have played key roles in the Ekomuseum Vlaški Put in Šušnjevica. They aimed to capture living testimonies of the language and preserve its corpus, while also documenting customs that are no longer practiced. “The audience could see customs that have not been performed for 40 or 50 years. Today, everything is done with machines, but in the film, you can see how people once used the koruza, played, cooked, carved, and all the things they did with it,” Brkarić explained. Stojšić, who hails from Pučinj, has spent many holidays in the Istrian countryside and developed a deep appreciation for its diversity. He has produced over twenty documentaries focusing on Istria and its forgotten relics of the past. However, he faced challenges at the beginning of this project. “I didn’t understand the Istrian-Romanian language, and during filming, I often had to ask Viviana what people were saying. Now, I understand the language much better, and my new projects are easier,” he said. His goal is to document Istria in all its unique aspects, preserving its linguistic heritage, old trades, and customs. The Vaška market in Krkavče proved an ideal setting for film screenings. The duo behind Trukinja is also responsible for the small-scale success of Kino Istra, a series of documentaries. One such film, Ali je elektrika ubila štrige? (Did Electricity Kill the Goblins?), was filmed in 2017. The director, Christian Kolazio, passed away shortly after the premiere, but the team managed to travel across Istria, from Opatija to Koper. Twenty-five witnesses participated in the film, and Brkarić noted that through them, the entire linguistic wealth of Istria was captured, along with creatures that entertain or terrify us, such as the sea, goblins, witches, and orcs. The team later filmed a second part titled Medižije kontra štrigarije, which they hope to show at Kino Istra. They are currently working on a third film in the same vein, inviting all Istralians to share their untold stories of encounters with the fourth type of beings. The evening in Krkavče concluded with another Kino Istra screening of Filicej, directed by Franet Pekic. The film presents a humorous and occasionally unsettling portrait of his nonagenarian protagonist, a man completely devoted to his work with the land and animals.