The Building

Feature documentary / 2022.

DirectorGoran Dević
ScreenplayGoran Dević
ProducerHrvoje Osvadić
ProductionPetnaesta umjetnost
SupportCroatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC)

Festivals and Awards

  • Liburnia film festival 2022. Best film, Best directing, Best editor

  • ZagrebDox regional competition 2022.
  • Croatian Film Days 2022., Best Editor
  • DokuFest Prizren 2022.
  • Slobodna zona Beograd 2022. – Free Zone Belgrade 2022., Human Rights Award
  • Annaba film festival Algeria 2024
  • Korean International Ethnographic Film Festival 2024
  • SEEfest – South-East European Film Festival 2023.

Synopsis

On the tenth anniversary of the introduction of workers’ management, the Sisak Iron Mill, one of the largest industrial plants in former Yugoslavia, built an “ideal” settlement for their workers who had thus far lived in huts around the factory. A town was erected around the plant. Sixty years later the building planned as an architecturally contemporary centre of the neighborhood found itself in a renamed street: Croatian National Revival. The film follows a week in the building’s everyday life. On its grey façade the residents follow a colorful artistic mural being made. At the same time people who grew up here slowly start to leave the building and the neighborhood, for their age or economic reasons, and some new, unexpected tenants move in at number 2. (ZgDox)

Year: 2022. / Format: DCP / Duration: 68′ / color / Orig. Title: Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda

About director:

Goran Dević

was born in Sisak, Croatia, in 1971. He studied law, archaeology and film art at Academy of Dramatic Art, University of Zagreb, Croatia. His filmography includes several documentaries and short films. Teaches documentary film at the Academy of Dramatic Arts. He is the author of award-winning documentary films: On The Water (2018), The Steel Mill Café (2017), 65+ (2016), Two Furnaces for Udarnik Josip Trojko (2012), Don Juan: Excuse Me, Miss (2010), The Flood (2010), Happy Land (2009), Three (2008), I Have Nothing Nice to Say to You (2005), Imported Crows (2004) and others. Film The Blacks (2009), which he codirected, was his feature film debut also woon grand prix Ljubljana Film Festival Slovenia 2009; grand prix Festival autorskog filma Serbia 2009; FIPRESCI award Cottbus Film Festival Germany 2009; special award for directing Cottbus Film Festival Germany 2009; Golden Arena for directing Pula Film Festival Croatia 2009;

Retrospectives of his documentaries were screened at Arsenal Berlin, Crossing Europe Filmfestival Linz.