This year’s 20th anniversary edition of Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival, taking place from the 11th to the 15th of June in Ljutomer, will witness the return of the legendary Serbian director Slobodan Šijan, who first visited us already in 2007, when he received the Honorary Vicious Cat award. This year, we will honour him at our Walk of Fame.
With his masterpieces, such as Who’s Singing Over There, The Marathon Family, Strangler vs. Strangler and How I Was Systematically Destroyed by Idiots, all laced with a very specific brand of dark humour, Slobodan Šijan created unforgettable classics and took place among the biggest names in cinematic art. Over and over, his films are watched by new and new generations of film fans, while whole portions of movie dialogue became an inseparable part of popular culture. In 2020, Who’s Singin’ Over There was in the Cannes Classic lineup at the Cannes Film Festival. He is also preparing his new film God Be With Us.
This year, the festival will feature even more carefully curated film program, numerous expert workshops, children’s program, Zombie Walk and plenty of accompanying fun events. More details about the program will be revealed soon!
We also announce two special warm up events that will get you in the festival mood.
As a part of the EKO 9 Triennial: Eyes in the Stone, which will thematically respond to horror, fear and the potential of horror genre while addressing environmental issues, an exhibition of all 20 Grossmann Festival posters will take place from 31st of May to the 28th of June at Vetrinjski dvor in Maribor.
On Friday, May 31st at 18h, the official opening of the boutique independent “Film Cellar Unterhund” cinema will take place at the Unterhund club in Ormož. This cinema with 50 seats in the cellar of the Ormož castle boasts a new 4K projector and a screen to match, as well as upgraded PA system. On this occasion, we will screen Austrian thriller Goodnight Mommy, directed by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz. The film received numerous awards and was selected as the Austrian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards. In 2022, an American remake starring Naomi Watts was released. Before the screening, a conversation with co-director Severin Fiala will take place.
Severin Fiala is renowned as one of the most interesting contemporary filmmakers. His first project with Veronika Franz, who is also known for her collaboration with director Ulrich Seidl, was the award-winning documentary Kern (2012). It was followed by their live-action debut Goodnight Mommy (2014). Their second live-action feature The Lodge won the Vicious Cat Award for Best Film at Grossmann 2020. At this year’s Berlinale, Martin Gschlacht won the Silver Bear for an Outstanding Artistic Contribution for cinematography in their new film The Devil’s Bath.
But that’s not all! For our jubilee, we also present a special book entitled “Grossmann Tales”, featuring in-depth interviews with 20 distinguished guests who have left their mark on world cinema: Roger Corman, Jan Harlan, Christopher Lee, John McTiernan, Harry Kumel, Gary Sherman, Jack Sholder, Đorđe Kadijević, Goran Marković, Slobodan Šijan, Udo Kier, Robert Englund, Ruggero Deodato, Brian Yuzna, Jaume Balaguero, Richard Stanley, Sergio Stivaletti, Lloyd Kaufman, Jorg Buttgereit and Severin Fiala. The author of the interviews is Serbian writer, film and literary critic, essayist and translator Dejan Ognjanović. He received the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award in 2023 and was shortlisted for Bram Stoker award in 2022. He is also a regular contributor to world’s leading genre magazine Rue Morgue.
So get ready for all good things that await you! In the meantime, feast your eyes on our new poster, once again created by grandmaster illustrator and comic book artist Ivica Stevanović. See you soon!
