A Beautiful Evening, A Beautiful Day: The Croatian Film That Set San Francisco on Fire!
Imagine this: Yugoslav war veterans, forbidden love under a strict regime, and a film that received a ten-minute standing ovation at the Frameline Festival in San Francisco! Yes, you read that right – ten whole minutes!
The feature film “A Beautiful Evening, A Beautiful Day,” directed and written by Ivona Juka, premiered on June 27 at the 49th Frameline, the oldest and one of the most prestigious LGBTQ film festivals in the USA.
Set in 1950s Yugoslavia, the story follows four close friends, war veterans, who become targets of ideological repression due to their sexual orientation. Party loyalist Emir is tasked with exposing them, but instead, a clash of loyalty, beliefs, and moral dilemmas explodes on screen.
The cast is impressive: Dado Ćosić, Emir Hadžihafizbegović, Slaven Došlo, Đorđe Galić, Elmir Krivalić, and many others. Foreign media like Variety and The Gate praise the acting performances and atmospheric direction.
This film is Croatia’s candidate for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. Ivona Juka has already proven she knows how to conquer the world – her previous film “You Carry Me” was the first Croatian film acquired for global distribution on Netflix.
If you love films that tackle tough topics, break taboos, and keep you glued to the screen, “A Beautiful Evening, A Beautiful Day” is a must-watch. And if you’ve already seen it, you know what we’re talking about – those ten-minute ovations are no accident!
So, what do you think? Is it time for films like this to finally get the attention they deserve? Or will they remain in the shadows? Drop a comment, let’s see who’s for and who’s against!
