ORIGINAL TITLE

Bischofshofen

director

Igor Mirković

DIRECTORS BIO

Igor Mirkovic, scriptwriter, director and TV journalist, lives in Zagreb, Croatia. From 1989 to 2001 he worked as a TV journalist and was the author of numerous documentary and political TV shows. He received several national and international awards for his TV reports. Since 1998 he's been directing documentaries and feature films. His two documentaries, Croatia 2000: Who Wants to Be the President and Lucky Kid, were a precedent in Croatia due to their theatrical release and were among top-grossing films at the time. He directed feature-length fiction film Night Boats co-financed by Eurimages and co-authored the TV series Black and White World. He made several awarded short films. He is a director of the Motovun Film Festival and teaches TV journalism at Faculty of Political Science Zagreb.

LOGLINE

Zeleni works as a sex-chat operator in Zagreb. Because of his messages, an unknown Austrian client falls in love with the imaginary Sabine and becomes obsessed with her, ready to ruin his own life for her love.

synopsis

This story connects three different worlds. In Zagreb, Zeleni (30), an irresponsible rave-fan, has run into debt, lost his apartment and his girlfriend, and his life is a mess. In the sleepy Austrian town of Bischofshofen, the piano tuner Helmut (45) lives his withdrawn life. And Sabine is what connects them: in the world of hot fantasies, she is an imagined girl from a TV commercial who urges men to send her text messages. Lonely Helmut writes to Sabine obsessively, not knowing that he is exchanging messages with an unknown man in another country. Namely, Zeleni has gotten a job at a sex chat company in Zagreb, and he works as an operator for German-speaking clients. Helmut's „relationship“ with Sabine becomes very intense: he writes to her day and night, and Sabine sends him her intimate photographs and sexually arousing messages. For Helmut, their relationship becomes more real with every new exchange, and he already sees Sabine, leads imaginary conversations with her, and suggests they meet in person but Sabine always cancels their date at the last moment. Jana, a new arrival in the company, a serious and religious girl who was forced to take the job of a sex chat operator because of her private problems, soon starts feeling bad about what they are doing, and she points out to Zeleni that by giving Helmut false hopes he is actually ruining his life. Helmut is obsessed with Sabine – he plans a life with her, he is ready to sell his house and move to Sabine's town. Zeleni realizes that the situation has gotten out of control, and decides to call Helmut and tell him the truth. But Helmut doesn't want to accept it. He is certain that this is a conspiracy against his and Sabine's love, that someone is spying on him and reading his messages. Even when the truth becomes obvious, he refuses to embrace the reality. Jana and Zeleni realize that Zeleni must go to Bischofshofen and face Helmut in person.When he reaches the small Alpine town, Zeleni tries to find Helmut and it suddenly occurs to him: Maybe he is deluded as well? Maybe Helmut, the piano tuner, doesn't really exist; maybe he, like Zeleni, uses a false identity when he exchanges messages with „Sabine“?

directors statement

Bischofhofen tells the story about the people who find refuge from frustrating reality in a world of erotic fantasies. Everything is false and made-up – but desire and emotions are real. Therefor our aim is to create a cinematic world which will constantly slip from reality into fantasy and back, and the viewers will never be sure where they are.

The story connects two faces of today’s Europe: in the chaotic city in the Balkans and in a wealthy and boring Alpine town they cannot find love in their surroundings, virtual love is all they have, like millions of our neighbors who chat with strangers sitting alone in their rooms. Bischofshofen represents a collective experience of our generation, posing the question: If we can fall in love with the letters on the screen, what do we really fall in love with?

production company profile

Established in the mid-nineties, Interfilm profiled in producing full-length fiction films for cinema and fiction TV series. Interfilm has produced 30 feature films among which are 9 European co-productions as well as 3 of 5 Croatian full-length fiction films with the highest number of admissions since the Republic of Croatia’s foundation in 1992. Among its worldwide awarded features are: The Constitution (2016, Grand Prize of the Americas in Montreal), On the Other Side (Berlinale 2016 – Special Mention by Europa Cinemas Label jury), Priest’s Children (Karlovy Vary 2013, EFA-nomination for best comedy 2013) and many others. Interfilm produced more than 30 documentaries as well as first Croatian sitcom Bums and Princesses. In 2014, Interfilm produced the 12 part TV drama series World in Black & White which 3rd season is in pre-production.

producers bio

Dr.sc. Ivan Maloča, od 1990. djeluje u AV industriji te osniva Interfilm. Producirao je više od trideset dugometražnih igranih filmova, više od sto namjenskih filmova te tridesetak dokumentarnih filmova i dramskih TV serija. Dobitnik je Nagrade Albert Kapović, tri Velike Zlatne Arene za najbolji film i pet Zlatnih vrata Pule. 2003. osniva HRUP, 2009. suosniva HDNP, od 2004. član je EFA-e.

Maja Vukic graduated from Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb, Department of film and TV editing. Since 1998 she worked as a freelancer: as film editor, sound editor, production assistant, assistant director, script and continuity, assistant editor and location scout for companies: Croatian Television, Telefilm d.o.o., Maxima film d.o.o., Interfilm d.o.o., Družba d.o.o., Orlando film d.o.o., Studio „Phenomena“, Fade In.

Since its foundation in 2003 she worked in production company “4Film” from Zagreb, Croatia, as executive producer. From July 2010 till May 2011 Vukić worked as producer in Fade In from Zagreb, Croatia. Since June 2011 she works as an executive producer and producer in Interfilm, Zagreb.

Maja Vukić is a member of European Film Academy, is a member of Croatian Producers Association Managing Board and was the president of Croatian Film Workers Association in term 2016-2018.

Selected filmography:
2018 World in Black&White – season 3, by Goran Kulenović, TV series 12 x 50min, in

postproduction

2018 Biggest Accidents of Croatia in Peace, by Arsen Oremović, documentary series 6 x 50min, in postproduction

2018 What a Country!, directed by Vinko Brešan, full-length fiction film, in postproduction 2016 World in Black&White – season 2, by Goran Kulenović, TV series 12 x 50min 2016 The Constitution, directed by Rajko Grlić, full-length fiction film, 93min
2016 Trampoline, directed by Katarina Zrinka Matijević, full length fiction film, 77min 2016 On the Other Side, directed by Zrinko Ogresta, full-length-fiction film, 80min

2016 Shooting Stars, directed by Ivan-Goran Vitez, full-length-fiction film, 80min
2014 World in Black&White, by Goran Kulenović, TV series 12 x 50min
2013 The Projections, directed by Zrinko Ogresta, full-length-fiction film, 80min
2013 Not All About the Money, directed by Dario Pleić, full-length fiction film, 90min
2013 The Priest’s Children, directed by Vinko Brešan, full-length fiction film, 92min
2012 Sonja and the Bull, directed by Vlatka Vorkapic, full-length fiction film, 106min
2010 Some Other Stories - View From The Well, directed by Ivona Juka, short fiction film, 25min 2007 Mrs. Before, directed by Miroslav Sikavica, short film, 15min

2007 Bad Blue Boys, directed by Branko Schmidt, documentary, 18min 2006 Facing the Day, directed by Ivona Juka, feature documentary, 72 min

MAIN FILMOGRAPHY & SELECTION IN MAIN FESTIVALS OF DIRECTOR

Little Darling (Balavica), 2013, Croatia, scriptwriter and director

·       Days of Croatian Film 2013 – Krsto Papić Award for Best Direction, Best Cinematography

·       Mediterranean Film Festival Split 2013 – Best Croatian Short Film

·       Tabor Film Festival 2013 – Best Film

·       Paris Courts Devant International Short Film Festival 2013 – Grand Prix

·       Cinemed, Montpellier 2013

·       Balkan Film Food Festival

Black and With World, season 1 – TV series, 2015, Croatia  (co-scriptwriter and director of 2 episodes)

Black and With World, season 2 – TV series, 2016, Croatia (co-scriptwriter)

Black and With World, season 3 – TV series, 2017, Croatia (co-scriptwriter), in pre-production

MAIN FILMOGRAPHY & SELECTION IN MAIN FESTIVALS OF PRODUCER

THE CONSTITUTION (USTAV REPUBLIKE HRVATSKE), 2016, directed by Rajko Grlić (Croatia- Czech Republic-Macedonia-Slovenia)

Montreal World Film Festival 2016 –  Grand Prize of the Americas (Best Film)

TRAIN DRIVER’S DIARY (DNEVNIK MAŠINOVOĐE), 2016, directed by Miloš Radović

(Producer: Zillion Film, Co-producer Interfilm)

Moscow International Film Festival 2016 – audience award

THE TRAMPOLINE (TRAMPOLIN), 2016, directed by Katarina Zrinka Matijević

Pula Film Festival 2016 – Golden Arena for Best Supporting Actress

ON THE OTHER SIDE (S ONE STRANE), 2016, dir. Zrinko Oresta (Croatia – Serbia)

Berlin International Film Festival – Berlinale 2016 – special mention by Europa Cinemas Label jury

SHOOTING STARS (NARODNI HEROJ LJILJAN VIDIĆ), 2015, directed by Ivan-Goran Vitez

Pula Film Festival 2016 – Golden Arena for Make-up; Golden Arena for Best DOP

project type

Feature Film

shooting format

16:9 / 2,39:1

length

cca. 100 min

color / B&W

Color

based on

Original script

languages

Croatian, German

locations

Croatia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland

budget

1.041.797.- Euro

finance in place

Creative Europe –MEDIA – development - 29.277€

Croatian Audiovisual Centre – development 16.000€

Croatian Audiovisual Centre – production 520.000€

production company

Inter film d.o.o.

OTHER DOCUMENTS

Other information connected to the project at the Matchmakingforum at : office@matchmakingforum.eu