DKE – Ured MEDIA Hrvatske s ponosom objavljuje kako je hrvatski kratkometražni igrani projekt Vanculeti, u režiji Dražena Krešića, scenaristice Ivane Babić Bošković te u produkciji Noe Nikolića i Davida Uranjeka iz produkcijske kuće Woodz Production, predložen za sudjelovanje na Euro Connectionu 2026., glavnom europskom koprodukcijskom forumu za kratkometražne filmove koji se održava u Clermont-Ferrandu.
Film Vanculeti kao i ostali projekti koje su odobrili stručni žiriji pojedinih zemalja, proći će daljnju evaluaciju međunarodnog žirija, a konačna odluka o projektima koji će sudjelovati na Euro Connectionu 2026 bit će objavljena do kraja ovoga mjeseca.
Ovogodišnji hrvatski predstavnik je Vanculeti, 15-minutni igrani film smješten u napušteno dalmatinsko selo. Film prati dvije starije žene čije se dugogodišnje rivalstvo pretvara u neočekivan čin suosjećanja. Kada jednu ugrize zmija, druga, unatoč godinama šutnje i ponosa, instinktivno priskoči u pomoć – otkrivajući krhku povezanost koja ih i dalje spaja. Film je u potpunosti ispričan bez dijaloga, kroz geste, poglede i ritam ruralnog života, stvarajući poetski i emocionalno bogat jezik.
Nacionalni žiri koji je vrednovao pristigle projekte činili su redateljica i animatorica Petra Zlonoga, producentica Morana Ikić Komljenović (Little Red Dot) te voditeljica DKE – Ureda MEDIA Hrvatske Martina Petrović.
Žiri je svoju odluku o predlaganju projekta Vanculeti za daljnju evaluaciju obrazložio sljedećim riječima:
„Smješten u napuštenom dalmatinskom selu, Vanculeti prati dvije starije žene čije se dugogodišnje rivalstvo pretvara u neočekivan čin suosjećanja. Kada jednu ugrize zmija, druga, unatoč godinama šutnje i ponosa, instinktivno priskoči u pomoć – otkrivajući krhku povezanost koja ih i dalje spaja. Film je u potpunosti ispričan bez dijaloga, koristeći geste, poglede i ritam seoskog života kao bogat emocionalni jezik. Spoj mediteranskog realizma i razigrane napetosti špageti-vesterna daje priči jedinstven ton — lirski, a sirov; nježan, a ironičan. U svojoj srži, Vanculeti je priča koja nas podsjeća koliko duboko trebamo jedni druge — često više nego što smo spremni priznati.
U režiji Dražena Krešića te produkciji Noe Nikolića i Davida Uranjeka (Woodz Production), Vanculeti je vizualno dojmljiv, duboko ljudski film o samoći, starenju i tihom činu oprosta — univerzalni portret čovječnosti ispričan s nježnošću i snažnom, promišljenom filmskom vizijom.“
Više informacija o programu Euro Connection i Sajmu kratkometražnog filma dostupno je na Euro Connection 2026.
Čestitamo Draženu Krešiću, Noi Nikoliću te Davidu Uranjeku iz Woodz Productiona te im želimo puno uspjeha u daljnjoj evaluaciji!
The short fiction film Vanculeti by director Dražen Krešić and producers Noa Nikolić and David Uranjek (Woodz Production) has been proposed for participation in Euro Connection 2026!
The CED – MEDIA Office Croatia proudly announces that the Croatian short fiction project 'Vanculeti', directed by Dražen Krešić, written by Ivana Babić Bošković and produced by Noa Nikolić and David Uranjek of Woodz Production, has been proposed for participation in Euro Connection 2026, the main European co-production forum for short films, held in Clermont-Ferrand.
The short film Vanculeti as well as other projects approved by the expert juries of participating countries, will undergo further evaluation by an international jury. The final selection of projects participating in Euro Connection 2026 will be announced by the end of this month.
This year’s proposed Croatian representative is Vanculeti, a 15-minute fiction film set in a deserted Dalmatian village. The story follows two elderly women whose lifelong rivalry transforms into an unexpected act of compassion. When one is bitten by a snake, the other’s instinct to help breaks through years of silence and pride, revealing the fragile bond that still unites them. Told entirely without dialogue, the film transforms gestures, glances, and the rhythm of rural life into a poetic and emotional language.
The national jury that evaluated the submitted projects consisted of animated film director and animator Petra Zlonoga, producer Morana Ikić Komljenović (Little Red Dot), and Head of CED – MEDIA Office Croatia Martina Petrović.
The jury explained its decision to propose Vanculeti for further evaluation as follows:
“Set in a deserted Dalmatian village, Vanculeti follows two elderly women whose lifelong rivalry transforms into an unexpected act of compassion. When one is bitten by a snake, the other’s instinct to help breaks through years of silence and pride, revealing the fragile bond that still unites them. Told entirely without dialogue, the film turns gestures, glances, and the rhythm of rural life into a rich emotional language. Its blend of Mediterranean realism and the playful tension of a Spaghetti Western gives the story a unique tone — lyrical yet raw, tender yet ironic. At its heart, Vanculeti is a story that reminds us how deeply we need one another — often more than we are willing to admit.
Directed by Dražen Krešić and produced by Noa Nikolić and David Uranjek (WoodzProduction), Vanculeti is a visually appealing, deeply human story about solitude, aging, and the quiet courage to forgive — a universal portrait of humanity, told with compassion and a gentle yet powerful cinematic vision."
More information about the Euro Connection programme and the Short Film Market can be found Euro Connection 2026.
Congratulations to Dražen Krešić, Noa Nikolić and David Uranjek of the Woodz Production team — we wish you great success in the upcoming evaluation!
