Motovun Film Festival

The Motovun Film Festival is an annual event that fills the medieval hilltop town of Motovun, in central Istria, in Croatia, one of Croatia’s best-loved cultural events, with cinema lovers for a few days each summer. It began in 1999, and it has grown into one of the best-known cultural events in the region, a festival that combines screenings of independent films with music, talks and an informal, youthful atmosphere in one of the most photogenic settings in Croatia.

The festival was created for a simple reason. In the late 1990s, mainstream Croatian cinemas showed mostly commercial films, and independent work and productions from small studios rarely reached audiences. The founders wanted to give such films a platform, and they chose Motovun, a small and spectacular town on a hill, as the venue. The first edition was modest, but the idea took hold, and each year the festival has grown, bringing filmmakers, critics and visitors from many countries. It is usually held over five or six days in late July or early August and screens dozens of films, around seventy in a typical year, including documentaries, shorts and feature-length productions from around the world.

What sets it apart is the atmosphere of Motovun’s streets and the Istrian countryside. Films are shown in open-air venues scattered through the old streets and squares, and the main square becomes a cinema under the stars, with the stone walls and bell tower as a backdrop and the countryside stretching away in the dark. Between screenings, people gather in the cafés and on the walls, talk about what they have seen and listen to music. The festival has been described as the Woodstock of film festivals, which reflects its relaxed, communal spirit and its mostly young crowd. Many visitors camp in a dedicated area at the foot of the hill, adding to the sense of a gathering.

Programming is open-minded and focused on innovation. The festival is popular with students and young travellers, and with anyone interested in discovering new voices in film, and it has often shown work that went on to wider recognition. Details of tickets, schedules and the programme change each year, so check the festival’s website for current information and book accommodation well ahead, since rooms in Motovun and nearby villages fill quickly.

Outside the festival, Motovun is worth visiting in its own right. The Old Town, with its walls, communal palace, main square and the Church of St. Stephen, is one of the great hill towns of Istria, and the Motovun Forest below is known for truffles. Baredine Cave and the local vineyards are other attractions in the area.

The festival suits film lovers, students and festival-goers. Bring comfortable shoes for the steep climb and a jacket for cool evenings.