Croatian contemporaray feature Film: A thematic structures qualitative analysis of awarded Films at pula Film Festival (1991. - 2016.)

Razdoblje hrvatske filmske umjetnosti nakon napuštanja jugoslavenskog političkog, društvenog i kulturnog konteksta 1991. godine i redefiniranja kinematografskog sustava s pravom se može nazvati suvremenim hrvatskim filmom. Cilj je ovog rada analizirati tematske strukture suvremenog hrvatskog dugometražnog igranog filma i rezultate interpretirati unutar društvenog i političkog konteksta u kojem su analizirana djela snimljena. Dakle, istražiti koje su glavne tematske preokupacije domaćih filmskih autora, koja životna područja autori obrađuju u podtemama i pratećim temama te na koje se tematske motive oslanjaju kako bi obogatili filmsku priču. Kvalitativna metoda utemeljene teorije pružila je dubinski uvid u predmet istraživanja, a pravac simboličkog interakcionizma omogućio je interpretativni pristup rezultatima analize. Ovakav kulturološki i znanstveni pristup suvremenom hrvatskom igranom filmu pruža uvid u još uvijek nedovoljno istraženo razdoblje domaće kinematografije te postavlja okvire za dublje razumijevanje suvremene hrvatske audiovizualne kulture. Istraživanjem su obuhvaćene tematike obrađene u 39 filmova koji su u razdoblju od 1991. do 2016. osvojili nagrade Velika zlatna arena za najbolji film i/ili Zlatna vrata Pule na najvažnijoj godišnjoj smotri domaćeg audiovizualnog stvaralaštva – Pulskog filmskog festivala. Analiza pokazuje kako su prevladavajuće tematsko područje egzistencijalne krize i propitkivanja identiteta u kontekstu novo uspostavljenog društvenosimboličkog poretka. Suvremeni hrvatski igrani film je tematski izuzetno senzibilan na sliku društva opterećenog ratnim traumama i podjelama na temelju nacionalnosti, a pojedini autori slojevitom tematskom strukturom uspješno ilustriraju probleme hrvatskog društva te kanaliziraju društvenopolitiĉku kritiku.The period in Croatian cinema after the abandonment of Yugoslavian political, social and cultural context in 1991, as well as the subsequent redifinition of the national cinema system, can rightfully be called the period of Croatian contemporary feature film. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze various thematical structures of the modern Croatian feature films as well as to interpet the results of the study while keeping in mind both political and social factors prevalent at the time of their making and, furthermore, to explore and determine the predominant thematic preoccupations of Croatian film directors, which areas of life tend to problematized in the sub-themes and which thematic motifs are used in order to enrich the film's narrative. The qualitative method of grounded theory provided the deep insight into the subject matter, while the use of symbolic interactionism lead to an interpretative approach to the results of the study. This cultural and scientific approach to contemporary Croatian feature films gives us a deeper insight into the still under-researched period of Croatian cinema, but also helps establish the framework necessary for a deeper understanding of the Croatian contemporary audiovisual culture. This study examines the themes of 39 films which won either the Grand Golden Arena for Best Film or the Golden Gate of Pula audience award (or both) at the most prominent Croatian annual film festival – Pula Film Festival – in the period between 1991 and 2016. The analysis shows us that the most popular themes include existential crisis and the question of identity in the context of newly established socio-symbolic order. Thematically speaking, Croatian contemporary feature film is very sensitive in its depiction of a society burdened with war trauma and national divides and some directors use layered thematic structure in order to sucessfully illustrate the problems of Croatian society of the day, as well as to canalize the socio-political critique