Press Cuts

Rajko Grlic’s latest feature film The Constitution, which has now clocked up a remarkable 23 festival awards since its world premiere in Montreal 2016, has also been included among the titles announced by the European Film Academy as feature fiction films recommended for a nomination for the European Film Awards 2017. This "love story about hate" is a Croatian/Czech/Macedonian/Slovenian/UK coproduction.

In spite of being shown at an obscure film festival  — SEEFF, or South East European Film Festival — and in spite of dealing with the consequences of now-obscure conflicts that two decades ago dismembered Yugoslavia, "The Constitution," by Croatian director Rajko Grlić, touches your heart and soul — and lingers in your mind longer and deeper than any blockbuster loaded with an overabundance of special effects.

"The Constitution" is set in contemporary Zagreb in a large apartment building which has seen better times. Living there are four people who have been neighbors for several years, but have been careful to remain complete strangers to each other.

The 12th annual South East European Film Festival kicked off with a gala screening at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills of writer/ director Rajko Grlić’s The Constitution, a stellar must-see movie full of humor and humanity that set the tone for this filmfest.

These are not easy issues to provide a wide audience, so most contemporary Balkan cinema is burdened with depressing and traumatic war experiences.Meanwhile, the director Rajko Grlic has created a film in the final transmission optimistic, with great sympathy treating heroes. It helps including excellent acting and skillfully written dialogues.

Synergetic has acquired all US rights to Rajko Grlic’s The Constitution (Ustav Republike Hrvatske). The distributor plans a theatrical release later in 2017. The deal was closed by Latido Films at Berlin’s European Film Market.

The Constitution is a Croatian feature film set in the capital city of Zagreb, and is directed by Rajko Grlić who co-wrote it with longtime collaborator Ante Tomić. The film won "Best International Feature Film" at the 32’nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The Constitution or "Ustav Republike Hrvatske" is an interesting film that revolves around the lives of 4 different people who happen to live in the same apartment complex in downtown Zagreb.

In the enjoyable comedy-speckled drama, the critical balance of characters includes a gay professor struggling against homophobia, who is taking care of his dying father — a member of the notorious Croatian fascist movement during WWII, deemed brutal even by the Nazis — and a police officer downstairs in his building whose Serbian heritage and barely hidden sympathies potentially chafe against Croation pride and culture.