The 17th edition of FMFS is starting soon!

The long-awaited moment is finally here! Our favorite cultural event, the 17th Mediterranean Film Festival Split, kicks off, bringing 107 films from 41 countries across six different programs. Besides the well-known locations like the Bačvice Summer Cinema, Gripe Fortress, and Zlatna Vrata Cinematheque, the festival will introduce its third free cinema near the monument to Gregory of Nin.

In the feature-length Mediterranean program, which showcases Croatian premieres, directors Omar Hilal (Egypt), Miguel Faus (Spain), Enrico Maria Artale (Italy), and Ardit Sadiku (Albania) will personally present their films to the audience.

“Voy Voy Voy,” a comedy based on an unbelievable true story directed by Omar Hilal, tells the tale of Hassan, a poor man who, in his bid to flee abroad, joins a soccer team for the blind and pretends to be one of them. This film was a box office hit in Egypt and was their submission for the Oscars.

Also in the lineup is Albania’s Oscar contender, “Alexander,” a brilliant documentary by Ardit Sadiku about Alexander Gruda, who, during the fall of communism in 1990, plotted to hijack a warship to escape the country with a group of friends.

The Italian film “Paradise,” a dynamic family drama about the complex relationship between a mother and son, earned Enrico Maria Artale the Best Screenplay award in Venice. The film also won accolades for Best Lead Actress and the Youth Jury Award.

The brilliant Isabelle Huppert returns to FMFS in “Sidonie in Japan,” where she portrays a French writer invited to Japan to reissue her book. This excellent humorous drama offers an intriguing look at Japanese culture and its differences.

The Palestinian documentary “The Only Country,” awarded at the Berlinale by both the jury and the audience, follows a Palestinian activist documenting the destruction of his community by Israel. He forms a strong alliance with an Israeli journalist, resulting in a prolonged fight for truth.

“The Heir” is a gripping psychological thriller by award-winning director Xavier Legrand. It follows the artistic director of a major Parisian fashion house who uncovers a significant secret after his father’s death.

“Enea,” an atypical gangster drama, skillfully blends tension with melancholy. The young director and screenwriter Pietro Castellitto also stars as a young man who, driven by a thirst for adventure, accepts an offer from a mafia boss to sell a large amount of cocaine.

“Crossroads” is a Turkish, Swedish, and French co-production. It is an emotional road movie in which two strangers overcome ideological and emotional barriers to unite in a common mission.

The intense and realistic drama “Amal,” starring Lubna Azabal, known to the Split audience from the FMFS-winning film “Life Suits Me Well,” earned her an award in Tallinn for her new role. Interestingly, Azabal chaired the jury for the short film program at Cannes, which awarded Nebojša Slijepčević the “Palme d’Or.”

The domestic documentary “The Ship” by Pula director Elvis Lenić will be screened out of competition. Lenić will personally present his film about the Uljanik shipyard, which has become an abandoned graveyard of workshops, cranes, and wrecks.

It has already been announced that FMFS’s feature-length program will open with “The Quiet Maid,” a dynamic and refreshing satirical drama. Director Miguel Faus will discuss the film with the audience at the Bačvice Summer Cinema. The closing film is the Italian hit of the year, “There’s Always Tomorrow,” starring the renowned actress Paola Cortellesi.