The drama about an elderly couple who return to their home following the war was written by Josip Mlakic and produced by Croatian TV.

As the seasons pass, the wife grows more distant with memory loss and the husband more short-tempered, in this intimate story of an elderly couple living in a post-war time, confronted with loss, disease and aging. “The story might be completely unusual for this time and it is distinct anyway from my previous two films which were critical of Croatian society,” Schmidt said. The planting of a cherry tree at the film’s end stands as a touching symbol of love and memory that comes too late.

The film is the tenth feature for the acclaimed director. The film had its world premiere at the Moscow IFF and was in the Croatian competition of the Pula Film Festival. Schmidt told the Cottbus audience that he expected the film to be released in cinemas in the first quarter of 2016.

Under its original title, Names for the Cherry/Imena višnje, production began in February 2014 and was shot in just 21 days in two segments: one in winter and one in summer.

Ivo Gregurević and Nada Durevska are starring. This is the third collaboration between Branko Schimdt and DoP Dragan Ruljančić.

Production information:

Croatian National Television
Prisavlje 3
10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
Phone: +385 (0)1 634 3186
Fax: +385 (0)1 634 3850
www.hrt.hr

Credits:

Directed by Branko Schmidt
Producer: Goran Radman
Script: Josip Mlakic
DoP: Dragan Ruljančić
Editors: Vesna Lažeta, Hrvoje Mršić
Art direction: Ivana Skrabalo
Cast: Ivo Gregurevic, Nada Djurevska, Goran Bogdan, Danijel Ljuboja, Mesud Dedovic, Daria Lorenci, Mustafa Nadarevic