DUBROVNIK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALMAY 29 – JUNE 1, 2003
ANNOUNCES OPENING NIGHT FILM, “CALLAS FOREVER,” AND PRELIMINARY
FEATURE, DOCUMENTARY AND SHORT PROGRAM
For Immediate Release – Los Angeles, California – April 19, 2003 – The
DUBROVNIK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (DIFF) will open its first celebration
of internationally produced films on May 29, 2003 in Dubrovnik, Croatia
with the acclaimed FRANCO ZEFFIRELLI’s CALLAS FOREVER, starring FANNY ARDANT,
JEREMY IRONS and JOAN PLOWRIGHT. Filmed in Spain, Paris and Bucharest,
CALLAS FOREVER brings to life the final hours of opera diva and legend Maria
Callas. The stunning and historic city of Dubrovnik – with its stone
fortress walls, shimmering Adriatic Sea and magical atmosphere scented by fig, almond and
bitter orange orchard trees – is a fitting stage for this story of the legendary
and defiant grand diva. From CALLAS FOREVER to its closing feature, the four-day
festival will promote and develop the exhibition of film and media arts to international
audiences.
Other international feature films to be screened at the DUBROVNIK
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL include BALL IN THE HOUSE (Dir. TANYA
WEXLER, Starring JENNIFER TILLY, JOHNATHAN TUCKER, Toronto Film Festival);
DOCTOR SLEEP (Dir. NICK WILLING, Starring GORAN VISNJIC, MIRANDA OTTO,
SHIRLEY HENDERSON), TOUCHING WILD HORSES (Dir. ELEANOR LINDO,
Starring JANE SEYMOUR, Toronto Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival); FALCONS
(Dir. FRIDRIK THOR FRIDRIKSSON, Starring KEITH CARRADINE, MARGRET
VILHJALMSDOTTIR, INGVAR E. SIGURDSSON, Deauville Festival of American
Film, American Film Institute Film Festival); and ANN B. REAL (Dir. LISA
FRANCE,European premier.)
Documentary films screening for the first time in Europe during the Dubrovnik
Festival are TRAVELING WONDER SHOW (Dir. Claire Didder, European Premier)
and BALLAD OF BERING STRAIT (Dir. NINA GILDEN SEAVEY, European premier).
The Short Films LISTENING (Dir. KENNETH BRANAGH, U.K.) and THE YELLOW
HOUSE (Dir. GORAN DUKIC, U.S.A.) round out the main festival program.
The films MIRANDA (Starring CHRISTINA RICCI, JOHN SIMM, JOHN HURT, KYLE
MCLACHLAN, Sundance) and LEO (Starring JOSEPH FIENNES, DENNIS
HOPPER, SAM SHEPARD, DEBORA KARA UNGER, Toronto Film Festival) will also
play on the main program. Industry fans of Dubrovnik, and featured as
well as other internationally recognized actors, are expected to attend the festival and
enjoy the alluring, serene, yet avant-garde ambiance of Dubrovnik.
The DUBROVNIK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL will bring together artists,
filmmakers, the entertainment industry, the Croatian and foreign business
community, and international audiences and media to promote Dubrovnik, as
well as Croatia’s national film industry and economy. The Festival will put
Dubrovnik and Croatia on the map as an international film festival destination. On May
29 to June1, the DUBROVNIK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL invites film, history and travel
lovers in Croatia and throughout the world to experience the passion of
international excellence in film and media entertainment.
For further information, please contact:
ZIGGY MRKICH, Festival Director, Tel. 310.903.0483, [email protected]
TIFFANY NAIMAN, Director of Programming, Tel. 323.337.1006,
[email protected]
MIA BROZOVICH, Director of Marketing, Tel. 602.214.5114, [email protected]
DUBROVNIKiff.org
Ms. Ziggy Mrkich
Dubrovnik Int’l Film Festival
P.O. Box 480280
Los Angeles, CA 90048
+1-310-903-0483
www.DUBROVNIKiff.org