This impressive result is due to a several comedies, children films and romantic comedies that set new records in the box office. Vinko Brešan’s The Priest’s Children/ Svećenikova djec (produced by Interfilm, distributed by Continental film, in 17 prints) topped the list with 158,130 viewers, making it the the most watched Croatian movie in the 21st century. It also set a record for a domestic film opening in independent Croatia.
Silvije Petranovic’s adaptation of the classic children novel The Brave Adventures of the Little Shoemaker/Šegrt Hlapić (Maydi film, distributed by Blitz film & video distribution in 30 prints), with opened in November 2013, outperformed Thor: The Dark World in the first weekend and has sold 124,796 tickets.
Other successful domestic films in 2013 were the children’s film The Mysterious Boy/ Zagonetni dječak by Drazen Žarković, the sequel to the hit Koko and the Ghosts (Kinorama) with admissions of 68,969 in 2013, Vlatka Vorkapić‘s Sonja and the Bull /Sonja I bik (Interfilm), released end of November 2012, which sold 38,682 tickets in 2013, and Tomislav Mršić’s comedy Cowboys/Kauboji (Kabinet, distributed by Blitz film & video on a record 42 prints) which sold 33,367 tickets since it premiered in October 2013.
Dates for some domestic premieres are already confirmed for 2014. Zrinko Ogresta’s Projections/ Projekcije (Interfilm) will open on 23 January; Nebojša Slijepčević’s long documentary Gangster of Love/Gangster te voli, an international coproduction with Restart and Fade In on the Croatian side, will open in Croatian cinemas on 6 February; and Dalibor Matanić’s romantic comedy Handymen/Majstori, produced by Croatian Television is expected to open on Valentine’s Day.
Other domestic films hitting local cinemas in 2014 are Nevio Marasović’s Vis-à-vis (Antitalent and Copycat produkcija), which won a Special Mention at the International Competition at Zagreb IFF 2013, and the drama One Shot/Hitac made by Robert Orhel (Kinorama), which will open on 27 February.
