Set in a seemingly idyllic sun soaked existence on the Croatian coast, Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović celebrates restless teenager Julija’s defiant passage into adulthood in a debut feature sharply punctuated with desire, chauvinism and opposition.
Equal parts fiery feminist outcry and stirring coming-of-age drama, the film announces director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović as a major new talent in world cinema.Murina transports us back to the turmoil of adolescence, a longing to escape the clutches of parents and imposed obligations and the desire for a bigger and better life. But does his affection portend freedom, or something more sinister? Winner of the Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, lensed by award-winning cinematographer Hélène Louvart (THE LOST DAUGHTER), and Executive Produced by Martin Scorsese, MURINA features a ferocious, star-making central performance by Gracija Filipović and the most sumptuous images of the Mediterranean since THE BIG BLUE. Flattered by Javier’s praise and stories of travelling the world, Julija sees him as the solution to all her problems. Once Ante’s employer and Nela’s lover, Javier flirts shamelessly with Nela and Julija, setting off a subtle battle of hypermasculine one-upmanship that pushes Ante to humiliate and control Julija even more.
Javier is considering buying Ante’s land to build a resort, which would allow the family to escape their island isolation for the city. She longs for independence but is unsure how to achieve it, until the arrival of the rich and mysterious Javier seems to offer a way out. Julija bristles at Ante’s heavy-handed cruelty and resents her mother Nela’s passivity. On a remote island along Croatia’s Adriatic coast, 17-year-old Julija spends her days diving for eel with her domineering father Ante and watching other teens party on a nearby yacht. MURINA went on to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival and notable festivals around the world, and will open theatrically on Friday, July 8th at Metrograph in New York, and on Friday, July 15th at Laemmle Theatres in Los Angeles with rollout to select cities.
The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where Kusijanović won the Caméra d’Or for best first feature film. MURINA, the riveting coming-of-age debut feature by Croatian writer & director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović, is based on her short film INTO THE BLUE.
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