Croatian queer drama "Rabbit's Depot" is going to the Brežice European Film Festival

The Croatian queer drama Zečji nasip will screen at the third edition of the European Film Festival in Brežice, taking place from August 26 to 29. The festival’s lineup includes 15 carefully selected films, featuring Slovenian and international premieres, as well as titles honored at major global film festivals. This year’s edition promises a diverse selection of contemporary European cinema, with an emphasis on author-driven works, festival successes, and opportunities for audiences to engage directly with filmmakers. Among the highlights is the opening film, Gorki Božić by Pedro Almodóvar, which will have its Slovenian premiere at the festival. Other highly anticipated entries include Milost by Paolo Sorrentino and Dva tužitelja by Sergey Loznitsa, a political drama set during Stalinist purges. The program also features films that reflect current themes in European cinema, such as Ljubav koja ostaje by Hlynur Pálmason, Što Marielle zna by Frederica Hambalek, Karavan by Zuzana Križňáková, and the Slovenian premiere of the Romanian film Odraz rijeke directed by Andreea Cristine Bortun. The festival will also showcase Fjord by Cristian Mungiu, which will have its Slovenian premiere in Brežice, and the new film Franz by Agnieszka Holland, dedicated to the life and work of Franz Kafka. Regional productions are represented by the Croatian-Slovenian-Lithuanian co-production Zečji nasip, directed by Čejen Černić Čanak. The film has been one of the most notable Croatian cinematic achievements this year, having premiered at the official competition of the Berlin International Film Festival. Based on a screenplay by Tomislav Zajec, the story follows two young men in a Slavonian village who navigate personal emotions and pressures within a conservative community while the village builds embankments to protect itself from flooding. After its Berlin premiere, the film won the Golden Arena for Best Croatian Film at the Pula Film Festival and was among the most praised domestic releases of the year. Recently, however, it sparked controversy after being excluded from a Slovenian television broadcast. For younger audiences, the festival will present the synchronized animated adventure Tafiti: Pustolovina u pustinji. The festival will conclude with the Slovenian documentary Braća s igrališta: Početak, directed by Gašper Pavlić and Alen Đorđević, which will be shown outdoors in the courtyard of the Brežice manor house. Additionally, there will be a special screening of the classic Stranputice by Alexander Payne, as well as the new film Novi val by Richard Linklater. Most screenings will take place at the Posavski Muzej in Brežice, while parts of the program will be held at attractive outdoor locations, including the Istenič estate and the courtyard of the Brežice manor house. The festival aims to provide a unique cinematic experience, blending historical and contemporary works with engaging interactions between filmmakers and audiences.