Montenegro is this year's partner country of the Cinehill Festival, one of the most important regional film festivals, which will be held from 21 to 26 July in Fužine, Croatia. As part of the partnership program titled “Mountain to Mountain”, the festival will present a representative selection of contemporary Montenegrin feature, documentary and short films, with numerous guest appearances by authors and film professionals from Montenegro.
This partnership represents another important international presentation of contemporary Montenegrin cinema, following the recently successfully organized event “Days of Montenegrin Film” in Ljubljana. The program includes works that have achieved success at international and regional festivals in previous years and confirms the continuous development of Montenegrin film production and its increasing presence on the European film scene.
On this occasion, the director of the Film Center of Montenegro Aleksandra Božović She pointed out that ten years of investment in the development of domestic cinematography are today yielding visible results.
"Ten years since the establishment of the Film Center of Montenegro, investments in the development of the youngest cinematography in the region are bearing fruit. Montenegrin authors have become visible and equal players not only on the regional, but also on the European and world stage. It is extremely important that the audience will also get to know our films and authors at Cinehill, the successor to the Motovun Film Festival, with which I grew up," said Božović.
The program dedicated to Montenegro brings a representative cross-section of contemporary Montenegrin cinematography - from award-winning feature films and documentaries to short films and international co-productions.
The film “15 and a Half” by director will be screened in the festival’s main competition program. Milivoje Obradović, winner of the Special Jury Award at the Herceg Novi Film Festival 2025.
As part of the program "From Above Burns", the audience will have the opportunity to watch the film "The Black Trumpet" by the director Bojan Stijović, which had its world premiere at this year's Bishkek International Film Festival in Kyrgyzstan, where it was screened in the international competition selection. The selection also includes the Montenegrin film "Otter" by director Srđan Vuletić, which premiered at the Sarajevo Film Festival, followed by the multi-award-winning film “Alive and Healthy” by director Ivan Marinović, as well as the documentary film “Vude, you won!” by the director Senad Šahmanović, dedicated Dušan Vukotić, the first Yugoslav Oscar winner.
The program will be further complemented by a selection of Montenegrin short films, including “Blue” by director Nemanja Lakić and “A Beautiful Day” by the director Katarina Bulajić, as well as the Croatian-Montenegrin co-production “Cow” directed by Pavo Marinković, which will be shown out of competition. The program also includes two Montenegrin minority co-productions: “Our Father”, which will be shown in the main program, and “Pavilion”, as part of the dedication To Zijah Sokolovic, winner of the “50 Years” honorary award.
This year's Cinehill program also confirms the importance of regional cooperation in film production. Numerous works presented at the festival were created as international co-productions, and in recent years, Montenegrin authors and producers have been increasingly collaborating with partners from the region and Europe, contributing to the development of a common film space.
The director of the Cinehill Festival also points out the importance of these connections. Igor Mirkovic.
"We don't just share the Adriatic coast with Montenegro, we also share actors: from Momcilo Otašević, who is a big film face in both countries, to a number of our actors who played leading roles in Montenegrin films. Thus, in the hit comedy 'Alive and Healthy', a young Montenegrin actress Tihana Lazović, the godfather is Goran Bogdan, and plays the worried mother Snjezana Sinovčić Šiškov", explained Mirković.
In addition to film screenings, the presentation of Montenegro will also include a round table discussion "How to Make a Regional Hit", a presentation of the "Monograph of Contemporary Montenegrin Film", as well as a series of accompanying events dedicated to contemporary Montenegrin cinematography. During the festival, numerous Montenegrin directors, producers and film professionals will be in Fužine to present their works to the audience and participate in discussions with the audience and film professionals from the region.
The Cinehill Festival says that Montenegro today represents one of the most interesting film names in the region.
"Small but mighty Montenegro is the new star of Balkan cinema. Watch the biggest stars of the region in Montenegrin films and meet new auteur voices," the Cinehill festival states.
Drawing on the rich heritage of the Motovun Film Festival, Cinehill today represents one of the most significant and recognizable film festivals in the region, dedicated to independent and auteur film, as well as cinematographies that bring authentic and courageous film voices. Its unique concept, which places film screenings in the natural surroundings of Gorski Kotar, makes it one of the most original film festivals in this part of Europe.
Cinehill is held in co-organization with the Municipality of Fužine, and is supported by the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Kvarner Tourist Board, and the Croatian Audiovisual Center.
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