After last year’s celebration of a decade, STIFF now enters a new era. We are embarking on a whole new festival chapter that we aim to enrich with fresh cinematic stories, educational programs, exhibitions, discussions, and entertainment, driven by the belief in the importance of student creativity and the love for film and culture that inspired the creation of STIFF.
The foundation of the festival, built by Maša Drndić and the rest of the team with the ongoing empowerment of youth, will inspire all of us who continue to develop STIFF as a unique platform for networking, play, and learning, welcoming everyone who joins us on this journey.
Since the festival’s early days, the STIFF community has grown and included an ever-increasing number of people. The efforts of all previous mentors, volunteers, partners, collaborators, and donors are woven into the festival itself. The eleventh edition of STIFF is the result of not only this year’s team but also of all those who recognized the festival’s potential over the past decade and left an important mark through their participation.
This year, with the theme of escape as the festival’s focal point, we want to reflect on various methods of liberation from constraints, emphasizing imagination and creativity as powerful tools of resistance. By exploring the emotional, cultural, and individual dimensions of this theme, we aim to highlight the importance of empathy and solidarity, encouraging the audience to feel the stories of others as their own.
Through the competitive film program, we present thirty-three films from twenty countries around the world. Nine program blocks provide insight into selected films as layered and playful combinations of documentary, animated, narrative, and experimental works. We want to thank all the filmmakers who have shared their works with us. Their films are invitations to see the world differently and to connect with one another in ways that only art can offer. Over the course of three festival days, we will gain insights into the themes and stories they consider important and bravely choose to share with others.
The side program features discussions, film workshops, and an international exhibition, further analyzing the theme and encouraging interaction with the audience. We will discuss workers’ rights in culture and burnout prevention, learn about various aspects of the filmmaking process, and meet experts from the fields of film and contemporary art.
The highlight of every STIFF is the awards ceremony for the most outstanding films, as chosen by the jury and the audience, followed by a celebration. We invite you to join us in celebrating student creativity, films, and a new decade.
Welcome to the 11th STIFF!
The Student International Film Festival – STIFF – is supported by Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the City of Rijeka and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, the Council of the Serbian National Minority, the Serbian National Council and Goethe institut, Zagreb. . The festival takes place in Art-kino Croatia.
Katarina Kožul,
Artistic director