Croatian queer drama "Rabbit Embankment" heads to Brežice European Film Festival

The third edition of the Festival of European Film Brežice will take place from August 26 to 29, showcasing 15 carefully selected films. The festival aims to present recent achievements in European cinema, with a focus on auteur films, festival successes, and opportunities for audience engagement with filmmakers.

This year's festival opens with Pedro Almodóvar's "The House of the Daydream," which will have its festival premiere in Slovenia. Other highly anticipated films include Paolo Sorrentino's "The Hand of God" and Sergei Loznitsa's political drama "In the Name of the Father," set during Stalin's purges. The program also highlights films that have garnered attention during the current European festival season, such as Hlynur Pálmason's "Godland," Frederic Hambalek's "What Marielle Knows," Zuzana Kirchnerová's "Caravan," Andreaea Cristina Bortun's "Reflection of the River," and Cristian Mungiu's "Fjord."

A significant inclusion is the Croatian-Slovenian-Lithuanian co-production "Zečji nasip" (Rabbit Embankment), directed by Čejen Černić Čanak and based on a script by Tomislav Zajec. The film, which had its world premiere at the Berlinale, tells the story of two young men in a Slavonian village confronting their feelings and societal pressures amidst efforts to build embankments against floods. It has been lauded as one of the most acclaimed Croatian films of the year, winning the Grand Golden Arena for Best Croatian Film at the Pula Film Festival, but recently faced controversy when Slovenian television declined to broadcast it.

The festival will also feature Agnieszka Holland's new film "Franz," dedicated to Franz Kafka, and a synchronized animated adventure "Tafiti: Adventure in the Desert" for younger audiences. The closing film will be the Slovenian documentary "Brothers from the Playground: The Beginning." Additionally, there will be special screenings of Alexander Payne's classic "Sideways" and Richard Linklater's new film "Hit Man."

Most screenings will be held at the Posavje Museum Brežice, with some events taking place at outdoor locations like the Istenič Estate and the courtyard of the Brežice Castle. The festival program includes Slovenian and festival premieres, alongside titles that have received awards at major international film festivals, offering a diverse cinematic experience.