The committee of the Croatian Association of Film Workers for the selection of the film representing Croatia in the competition for the Awards of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the category of the best international film, has announced that this year the Croatian candidate will be the feature film Traces directed by Dubravka Turić, produced by Kinorama and producer Ankica Jurić. The film is a minority Serbian co-production that was created with the support of the Film Center Serbia.
This is Dubravka Turić’s full-length feature debut, which had its world premiere at last year’s International Film Festival in Warsaw. After that, the film was screened at several European and world festivals such as Black Nights in Tallinn, the Mediterranean Film Festival in Valencia (Mostra de València), Belgrade FEST and the Santa Barbara Festival.
In addition, the film has so far won a number of festival awards: the award for the best film at the Paris European Film Festival, the award for the best director at the Ischia Film Festival, the award for the best actress at the Sopot Film Festival, awards for the best foreign film, special award for best director and special award for the main female role at the Unrestricted Film Festival, three Golden Arenas at the Pula Film Festival (for editing by Dubravka Turić, for sound design by Dubravka Premar, for makeup by Snježana Gorup)…
The plot follows the scientist Ana (played by Marija Škaričić), who, as the last member of a once large family, studies local symbols and traces on old tombstones called stećak. Her anthropological study grows into a search for intimate answers, and the traces she follows merge with the traces she leaves behind.
Apart from Marija Škaričić in the lead role, this production also stars: Nikša Butijer, Mate Gulin, Lana Barić, Tvrtko Jurić. In addition to directing, Dubravka Turić also wrote the screenplay in collaboration with Danijela Žeželj, and is also the editor of the film. The director of photography is Serbian cinematographer Damjan Radovanović, the set designer is Tajana Čanić Stanković, the costume designer is Željka Franulović, the makeup artist is Snježana Gorup, the music composer is Jonas Jurkūnas, and the sound designer is Dubravka Premar.
Ankica Jurić Tilić (Kinoram) is the main producer, and the film was co-produced with Lithuanian Tremor and Serbian Corona.
This year’s candidate for Croatia in the campaign for the Oscar was officially announced by Ksenija Marinković, president of the Croatian Association of Film Workers.