Croatia 2000: Who Wants to Be a President

A peek through the keyhole of Croatian politics on the eve of the big historical turning point – the change of government in 2000.

The film follows the chronology of the developments that resulted in the change of government in Croatia in 2000. The death of President Franjo Tuđman deprives the country of the major political power holder and the parliamentary and presidential elections are soon to come. We follow the developments in those turbulent days through the lives of nine politicians – up close and personal.

Croatia 2000: Who Wants to Be a President reveals for the first time what went on behind closed doors, how crucial political decisions were made, what were the expectations and fears of the leading politicians. Political moves in the holiday season are depicted against the backdrop of anticipated historical changes. Without any comments or interviews, the film has preserved the authenticity of the events, allowing the viewer to witness the events as if seen through the keyhole.

Following some of the most influential figures in Croatian politics, Croatia 2000 – Who Wants to Be a President shows them in a context they have never been seen in before. The film's first release in Croatian theaters was in 2001, attracting more than 20,000 viewers. In 2010, after the expiry of President Mesić's second term in office, a sequel was made: a short documentary, Ten Years After.

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Rajko Grlić

One of the most important Croatian directors and scriptwriters, a member of the so called Prague Film School and author of numerous fiction and documentary films shown and awarded at the most prestigious world festivals. He is the founder of Motovun Film Festival and is today its ''artistic director, honorably retired''.
Igor_mirkovic

Igor Mirković

An acclaimed long-time TV journalist. Made his first documentary film, ''Orbanići Unplugged'', in 1998. Since then, his career is primarily connected with film. In 2001, together with Rajko Grlić, he co-directed the acclaimed documentary, ''Croatia 2000: Who Wants to Be a President''.
Original title: Novo, novo vrijeme
Year of production: 2001.
Screening time: 104'
Format: DV, 35 mm
Production: Motovun Film Festival, Factum
Co-financiers: Ministry of Culture, US AID (Zagreb), OSI (Zagreb & Budapest), CDU (Zagreb), Jan Vrijman Fund (Amsterdam), EPH, Radio 101
Written and directed by: Rajko Grlić, Igor Mirković
Produced by: Rajko Grlić, Boris T. Matić, Igor Mirković
Co-producer: Nenad Puhovski
Original score: Matija Dedić
Cinematography by: Mario Delić, Svebor Kranjc, Goran Legović, Igor Savatović, Alan Stanković, Slobodan Trninić, Maja Zrnić
Edited by: Ivana Fumić, Tomislav Pavlić, Dana Budisavljević, Vjeran Pavlinić
Sound dubbing: Mladen Škalec
Graphic design: Bruketa & Žinić
Production coordinator: Nada Pintar
Research and archive: Irena Bogadi
Assistant cinematographers and sound recordists: Dražen Grubišić, Slaven Jekauc, Andrej Korovljev, Zoran Rački, Danilo Šerbedžija, Mario Vargović, Ivan Goran Vitez
Production assistant: Olinka Vištica
Distribution and sales: Motovun Film Festival

Festivals & Awards:

IDFA 2001; Palić International Film Festival 2001 – FIPRESCI Award; Balkan Black Box 2003, Berlin