A film on top of a hill - Fantastic Zagreb

The only genre film festival in Croatia (and the region), Fantastic Zagreb features a number of interesting titles (as I’ve mentioned before). Even when they happen not to really be genre ones. Last night’s screening of Cold in July might not have offered much in the film department as far as genre goes, but in mood – a whole different story. For the first time ever, an evening film screening was held at the medieval fort Medvedgrad just above Zagreb. Red-robed attendants with hood across their faces and real torches lit the windy, cobbled way for film aficionados climbing the last few  meters from the narrow paved road in the Medvednica Park.It was an awesome site and a lot of fun! In its fourth year currently, the festival that started last Friday and will end tomorrow, is improving every year. The film selection is not always great, but they can’t please everyone. I get it. This year, they did please me.

Watching a movie, at night, under the starry skies was an experience I hope to repeat. Preferably, at the same festival. A blanket, some popcorn, a cool summer evening, the stunning for wall under glimmering lights. And a crowd of film lovers who will shush talkers and actively try to let you enjoy the movie. A perfect ten.

Even if I did not like the movie. Maybe I was tired, maybe I just like to be different from everyone else, but I remain unimpressed. The plot was unconvincing (and no, I haven’t read the book), and a few good jokes and an awesome performance by Don Johnson will not make me say it was great. The screening was. The film was not.

Going back down, after the screening, I was thinking of all the films they had on their program this year and could not help but think what a scary experience it would have been to have watched The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and then have had to go home down an unlit mountain at 2 am. I am still undecided whether I should thank them for not doing or chastise them. Or even tonight’s Alien – I would have totaly loved that. But the venue it’s playing at is not (much) less impressive: Summer cinema Tuškanac.   

A film on top of a hill - Fantastic Zagreb