He pointed that the festival is offering ten films from the local authors in its program, and they tried their hand in various genres. 

“We have a feature and a short fiction film, documentary and animation. This is a huge thing that we, as a small place, can praise with a professional production. This is a fruit of the 25 years long work on education, production and a constant longing for something to create, but also a proof that it can be done” the MFF director said.  

He pointed out that the competition program is always strong and the festival selector Zdravko Mustać had a lot of work, considering the number of 350 films submitted.   

Topić also presented the documentary about sculptor Stjepan Skoko, the film he is the author of and that is having its premiere in the program of MFF on Wednesday, October 11.  

“I was attracted to the interesting life path of the boy who started from the village, from a poor family and came to success. I think that people will meet a new Skoko in this film, not the one they know from the media or his job as a dean at the Academy. By the way, my goal is to immortalize the artists from these parts on film and make a series,'' said Topić. 

Robert Bubalo, producer of the festival, Zdenko Jurilj, the director of the film 'Stigma' and 'Silent Drifter', and Mislijana Brkić Milinković on behalf of HT Eronet, general sponsor of the Festival, also spoke about the festival, the official part competition part of the program, films from the accompanying program, workshops and numerous festival contents.  

Robert Bubalo pointed out that in these hard times, the crises, inflation and wars when the culture is the first one to go down, it was more demanding to produce and put the festival together.  

“It was even harder than in the times of the pandemic when we were forced to hold the festival online. These are very hard times and the culture is the first one to fall down in all the budgets. I am delighted with the home program and that we have beautiful films and we can proudly say that this is the most vibrant culture in Herzegovina. Film is very complex, you need to have a team of people and each link has to work. This is a capital festival, everything that we have worked hard for the past 24 years, starting with that cinematography that has now branched out, is coming to fruition, both through the film school and the film department at the Academy of Fine Arts. This has really become a film town, and when you see this program it is clear that this is a vibrant culture that has sense and that needs more investment”, the festival producer said. 

He also pointed out that in the next few years we can only expect more films, better production and many co-productions, and that the festival has become a platform both for meetings and collaborations with authors from other countries. 

Misijana Brkić Milinković, on the behalf of the Corporate Communications Department of HT Eronet, which this year also provides rich prizes to festival visitors, pointed out that they are happy to be with the Mediterranean Film Festival as a general sponsor again and that they continue to have the opportunity to grow and socialise with the MFF.

 „HT Eronet is the proud main sponsor of MFF this year too. As at previous festivals, we have provided free Wi-Fi for all the visitors, and there is also an application for electronic voting for the best film by the audience and participation in a prize draw. The main prize is tablet LENOVO TAB M8'' Brkić Milinković said and invited all the film lovers to visit MFF Video library through Home TV platform as well and see some of the films from the previous festival editions. 

Screening of the feature film ‘Stigma’ from the ‘Home Authors’ program, directed by Zdenko Jurilj, is opening this year’s Mediterranean Film Festival on Tuesday at 20h.  

“After four years, we are back at this festival as authors and we are coming in style with two films. 'Stigma' was made in guerrilla-like conditions thanks to the enthusiasm of my colleagues from the production company Kadar, as well as the team we gathered from neighbouring countries. It’s a story about people who are engaged in tobacco smuggling, but the basic story is how people carry the sins of their ancestors and how these stigmas can be transferred to young people. The film is pure minimalism, without a large narration and action, the atmosphere will attract viewers”, Jurilj said. 

In addition to this one, the festival is screening ‘Silent Drifter’, a documentary fiction film about the great artist Virgilije Nevjestić who was stated as one of the greatest graphic artists of the 20 century in France.  

In cooperation with the Film Centre Sarajevo masterpieces of B&H cinematography will be screened at the festival, the documentary titles from the 'In Focus' program and children's films from the 'MFF Fora' program will also be shown.  

The award ceremony will be held on Friday, October 13, while the festival will close on Saturday, October 14, with the screening of the documentary film about the basketball genius Dražen Petrović - 'Our Little Boy', directed by Ivana Guberina.  

We remind you that the Mediterranean Film Festival takes place from October 10 to 14 in Široki Brijeg. The competition includes ten feature-length documentaries that compete for the MFF "Grand Prix" award, and ten short documentaries that compete for the MFF "Best Short" award. The best film will be chosen by the audience, and that film is waiting for the MFF Audience Award. This year’s novelty is the ‘Best Camera’ award that will be awarded by the festival in collaboration with the Association of Cinematographers of B&H.  

The general sponsor of the Mediterranean Film Festival is HT Eronet.