Festival of Slovenian Film

A banner of the 2025 Festival of Slovenian film edition.

The Festival of Slovenian Film is classified as a national film festival as it offers an annual review of domestic film and television production. It is organised annually by the Slovenian Film Centre at the Portorož Auditorium in the seaside resort of Portorož. Films selected for the competition programme are in the running for the Vesna Award. Next to film screenings a diverse line-up of industry events takes place, in the 2025 edition topics are ranging from intimacy coordination to set and costume design or film music. Morning discussions with film creators are organised on each festival day.

Background

The Festival of Slovenian FilmFestival slovenskega filma or FSF) was established in 1991 as the Slovene Film Marathon but its roots go back to 1973 when the Slovene Film Week was organised for the first time in Celje. Today it is staged in autumn at the Portorož Auditorium, the length varies according to annual film production (usually for 4 to 5 days).

Portorož Auditorium hosts several festivals, including Festival of Slovenian Film, 2018.

Programme

The Festival of Slovenian Film is the main yearly event for Slovene cinema, Slovene film professionals and the general public, as well as for international film experts and professionals (journalists, scholars, producers, distributors and buyers). Besides screenings, conferences on a topical issue related to film such as film production, funding, acting, scriptwriting, or international links and foundations are organised, as well as presentations of different projects related to Slovene cinema (DVDs, books, web pages ...).

Sections and awards

Although the festival is intended for the yearly overview of domestic film and television production, films are not automatically entered in the programme but are still selected by the programme selector. Films that are selected for the festival are divided into two main sections: the competition programme and the accompanying programme. Films selected for the competition programme are in the running for the Vesna Award (named after the Slovene 1954 film classic Vesna made by František Čap), bestowed by the festival's three-member jury in 17 different categories. Other festival awards are: the Metod Badjura Award for lifetime achievement, named after the first Slovene film director of photography Metod Badjura and bestowed by the Association of Slovenian Filmmakers; the Kodak Award for best cinematography; the FIPRESCI Slovenia Award for Best Picture bestowed by a three-member jury of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), Slovenia. Awards are also given by various other associations and companies and by Stop Media magazine. After the festival, the awarded films are sometimes also presented in the Slovenian Cinematheque or at other venues in Ljubljana.

The following feature films have been declared the best films of the festival: Circus Fantasticus directed by Janez Burger and produced by Staragara - Ljubljana (2010), Archeo by Jan Cvitkovič and produced by Staragara - Ljubljana (2011), Boj za directed by Siniša Gacić and produced by Tramal Films (2014), Idyll, a horror film directed by Tomaž Gorkič and co-produced by Blade & 666 Productions (2015), Houston, We Have a Problem! by Žiga Virc (2016), The Family by Rok Biček (2017), My Last Year as a Looser by Urša Menart (2018) and Stories from the Chestnut Woods by Gregor Božič and Marina Gumzi (2019).

External links

FSF website

Gallery

10 let, a film by Peter Bratuša, winner of the Vesna Award for Best Short Film, Festival of Slovenian Film 2010

9 06, a film by Igor Šterk from A. A. C. Productions, presented at the 12th Festival of Slovenian Film 2009

Mulc – Kiddo, a stop-motion animation by Kolja Saksida, produced by A-Atalanta and co-produced by ZVVIKS, presented at the Festival of Slovenian Film, 2009

Nina Ivanišin in the lead role of the amateur photo model Zina in Idila [Idyll], a film by Tomaž Gorkič that "plays with the genre pattern of a horrifying confrontation between rural an urban". Presented also at the 68th Cannes Festival Film Market, 2015

Lotos Vincenc Šparovec plays an odd local in Idila [Idyll], a film by Tomaž Gorkič produced by Blade Production, Production House 666 and Strup Productions, presented also at the 68th Cannes International Film Festival, 2015

Film still from Circus Fantasticus, a film by Janez Burger from Staragara - Ljubljana, winner of the Vesna Award for Best full-length film and the Kodak Award, Festival of Slovenian Film 2010

Filip Robar Dorin, winner of the Metod Badjura Award for lifetime contribution to Film, announced at Festival of Slovenian Film awards 2010

Janez Burger, winner of the Vesna Award for the best full-length film - Circus Fantasticus, Festival of Slovenian Film 2010

Poster for 13th Festival of Slovenian Film, by Boštjan Lisec, 2010

Blaž Završnik, winner of the Viewer’s Choice Vesna Award for his full-length film - Pot v raj, Festival of Slovenian Film, 2014

Dominik Mencej, winner of the best script and scenography Vesna Award for short film - Prespana pomlad, Festival of Slovenian Film, 2014

Siniša Gačić, winner of the Vesna Award for Best full-length film Boj za at Festival of Slovenian Film, 2014

Alenka Nahtigal, the winner of Vesna Award at 20. Festival of Slovenian Film at Portorož Auditorium.

Festival of Slovenian Film banner, 2017

Brane Grubar, the winner of Vesna Award at 20. Festival of Slovenian Film at Portorož Auditorium.

Hanna Slak, the winner of Vesna Award at 20. Festival of Slovenian Film at Portorož Auditorium.

Ivanka Mežan, the winner of Vesna Award at 20. Festival of Slovenian Film at Portorož Auditorium.

Portrait of Matjaž Ivanišin, Festival of Slovenian Film, 2017.

Portorož Auditorium hosts several festivals, including Festival of Slovenian Film, 2018.

Jani Sever, 21. Festival of Slovenian Film, 2018.

Judita Franković Brdar, the winner of Vesna Award at 21. Festival of Slovenian Film, 2018.

Jurij Zornik, the winner of Vesna Award, 21. Festival of Slovenian Film.

Kolja Saksida, the winner of Vesna Award at 21. Festival of Slovenian Film at Portorož Auditorium, 2018.

Tugo Štiglic, winner of the Metod Badjura Award, announced at Festival of Slovenian Film awards 2018.

Urša Menart, the winner of Vesna Award at 21. Festival of Slovenian Film at Portorož Auditorium, 2018.

Festival of Slovenian Film visual identity, 2018

Majoš, a documentary by Amir Muratović, winner of the Vesna Award for Best Documentary Film, Festival of Slovenian Film 2010

Moški, a film by Mina Bergant, winner of the Kodak Award for Best Student Film, Festival of Slovenian Film 2010

Mrtvaški ples [Dance of death], a film by Koni Steinbacher, winner of the Vesna Award for Best Animation, Festival of Slovenian Film 2010

Piran - Pirano, a film by Goran Vojnović, winner of the Vesna Award for Best Actress, Best Screenplay and Best Editing, Festival of Slovenian Film 2010

The vehicle featured in Zoran, moj nečak idiot, winner of the Vesna Award for Best Art Direction and multiple awards at the Venice Film Festival, coproduced by Staragara (SI) and Transmedia (IT), 2013

A vehicle featuring in Zoran, moj nečak idiot, winner of the Vesna Award for Best Art Direction and multiple awards on Venice Film Festival, coproduced by Staragara (SI) and Transmedia (IT), 2013

Trst je naš [Trieste is ours], a film by Žiga Virc, winner of the Vesna Award for Best Actor, Festival of Slovenian Film 2010

... further results