Croatian film Lijepa večer, lijep dan enters Oscars race

Lijepa večer, lijep dan (4Film)

The Croatian Society of Film Workers’ Commission have selected the film Lijepa večer, lijep dan (Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day), written and directed by Ivona Juka and produced by Anita Juka, under the 4Film production company, as Croatia’s official submission for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.

At the announcement of Croatia’s Oscar candidate on Thursday, the attendees included director Ivona Juka, producer Anita Juka, Zvonimir Rumboldt representing the Croatian Society of Film Workers, and Chris Marcich, director of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.

The film features standout performances from actors Emir Hadžihafizbegović, Dado Ćosić, Slaven Došlo, Đorđe Galić, and Elmir Krivalić.

Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day is a feature film set in the 1950s and tells the story of filmmakers in Yugoslavia who fought for their freedom and freedom of speech.

Screenwriter and director Ivona Juka sets her latest film in this environment, portraying a story of freedom, focusing on individuals who dared to dream of a better society, fought for their country, and ultimately faced betrayal.

The film Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day was co-produced with Canada, Poland, Cyprus, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and was supported by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the MEDIA sub-programme of Creative Europe, the Adris Foundation, Telefilm Canada, Ontario Creates, the Ministry of Culture – Cyprus Film Department, and the Sarajevo and Tuzla Canton Film Funds.

Juka’s previous feature film, You Carry Me, premiered at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in 2015 and was subsequently screened at over 20 international film festivals, winning 17 awards.

You Carry Me also competed for a nomination for the European Film Award, presented by the European Film Academy, and participated in the race for an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Film.

During the Oscar campaign, the film was praised by leading film publications such as Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, drawing attention from Netflix, which acquired worldwide streaming rights.

You Carry Me thus became the first film from the region to be available on Netflix, reaching over 135 million viewers in 190 countries.

The Croatian Society of Film Workers selected Lijepa večer, lijep dan from four contenders. The other films were Only When I Laugh by Vanja Juranić (Maxima Film), Sweet Simona by Igor Mirković (Interfilm) and The Holy Family by Vlatka Vorkapić (Interfilm).