Croatian film 'Lijepa večer, lijep dan' wins Galway Festival's top award

Director Ivona Juka's feature film "Lijepa večer, lijep dan" captured the Grand Prize for Best Film at Ireland's Galway Film Fleadh, marking the movie's 22nd international accolade. The drama, set in 1957 post‑war Yugoslavia, explores artists' struggle for freedom under political repression. Its success follows earlier honors, including nine audience awards, and positions the film as Croatia's candidate for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category. The film is slated for its domestic debut at the Pula Arena during the Pula Film Festival.

The cast features prominent regional actors such as Emir Hadžihafizbegović, Dado Ćosić, and Slaven Došlo, while production credits include producer Anita Juka of 4Film, noted for previous internationally recognized projects. The Galway win adds to the film’s momentum ahead of its upcoming screenings and Oscar campaign.