The famous Croatian movie director Dalibor Matanić shoots Rijeka – European Capital of Culture promotional video
A video promoting Rijeka as a port of diversity was shot at various captivating locations around the city. The video was funded by the Croatian Tourist Board and the Rijeka Tourist Board, while the project was completed in cooperation with the City of Rijeka and the Rijeka 2020 company, with Matanić selected on the basis of a call for tenders issued last summer.
The production of the video about Rijeka as the European Capital of Culture was entrusted to Filmerija, a company from Rijeka that specialises in audio/video production, with the goal of presenting Rijeka as a Croatian urban phenomenon comprising its turbulent history, post-industrial charm, multiculturality, pop-culture, openness, free-mindedness and breadth of spirit.
The screenwriter is a playwright born in Rijeka, Magdalena Lupi Alvir, the Director of the City Puppet Theatre, which tried to blend the unblendable, namely the differences: “It is really about a clash of worlds. A clash of characters and their personalities, which are symbolic of the idea of the port of diversity. The idea was to mix documentary material and fiction, with the video taking place at various locations and attractive areas around the city. If you want to know how we succeeded, watch the video. I tried to use provocative scenes to capture the spirit of the city and see it through the eyes of a “stranger” by using characters that are part of the past, present and future of Rijeka as a vehicle. I also attempted to weave the themes addressed by the Rijeka 2020 flagships into the script in order to present the programme itself.” – said Magdalena Lupi Alvir.
