''These Are the Rules'' ( hr, Takva su pravila) is a

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

n 2014 drama film written and directed by

Ognjen Sviličić Ognjen Sviličić (born 1971 in Split) is a screenwriter and film director, based in Berlin noted for his critically acclaimed 2007 films Sorry For Kung Fu, '' Armin and These Are the Rules'' Career Sviličić was born 1971 in Split, in a fami ...

Plot

Maja (

Jasna Žalica Jasna Žalica (born 1968) is a Bosnian actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such a ...

), Ivo (

Emir Hadžihafizbegović Emir Hadžihafizbegović (; born 20 August 1961) is a Bosnian actor. Often regarded as one of the best actors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, he has appeared in over fifty films, including ''When Father Was Away on Business'' (1985), ''Remake'' (2003 ...

) and their 18-year-old son Tomica (Hrvoje Vladisavljević) are an ordinary family from

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...

. Maja and Ivo are nearing retirement and are struggling financially while Tomica is unemployed after graduating from high school. One day, for no apparent reason, Tomica is attacked and beaten by a group of kids in the street. The next day, he suffers from a strong headache. His parents take him to hospital, but the doctors find only minor injuries. Soon after, Tomica collapses and slides into a coma, and it becomes clear that his condition is life-threatening. Maja and Ivo are suddenly thrown into a challenging situation, in which they decide to fight against the apathetic system.

Cast

- Ivo *

- Maja *Hrvoje Vladisavljević - Tomica *

Goran Bogdan Goran Bogdan (born 2 October 1980) is a Croatian actor. He has appeared in more than 40 films since 2005. He has appeared in some American and English films and TV series such as the 2012 film ''Goltzius and the Pelican Company ''Goltzius a ...

- Doctor Raus *

Ljubomir Bandović Ljubomir "Ljubo" Bandović ( sr, Љубомир Бандовић; born 8 July 1976) is a Serbian actor. He has won many prestigious awards for acting in Serbia. Biography Ljubomir "Ljubo" Bandović was born in Ivangrad, SR Montenegro, SFR Yu ...

- Ljubo *

Mira Banjac Mira Banjac ( sr-Cyrl, Мира Бањац; born 4 November 1929) is a Serbian actress. She won a number of awards, including an award for her work in Mamaroš from Brasil and Golden Medal for Merits of Republic of Serbia. Selected filmography ...

- Old Lady *

Stjepan Perić Stjepan Perić (; born 1 March 1983) is a Croatian actor. Biography After finishing high school, Perić studied law at the University of Zagreb. In 2003, he quit law to pursue a career as an actor. In 2003, he enrolled in the Academy of Dramati ...

- Policeman

Production and themes

The film's screenplay is inspired by a real-life 2008 incident in which Luka Ritz, an 18-year-old high school graduate, died of injuries sustained in a seemingly senseless attack by a group of teens. His case received high-profile media coverage in Croatia and led to the establishment of the national Luka Ritz Award for the promotion of tolerance and non-violence in schools. In the words of

: :This event made me think about his parents, and how they dealt with this tragedy. I imagined ordinary people, who had always obeyed the laws and the rules. But now, when they are faced with this horrible tragedy, no one wants to help them, and they are unable to do anything about it. No one listens to them, no one cares, they are simply not important. These people represent the majority that suffers quietly, and also carries on through the injustices done to them. My story is dedicated to these people.

Release

The film's world premiere took place on 29 August 2014, in the Horizons section of the 71st Venice International Film Festival. It was the first Croatian film shown at the

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...

since

Zrinko Ogresta Zrinko Ogresta (born 5 October 1958) is a Croatian screenwriter and film director, professor of film directing at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb and a member of the European Film Academy in Berlin. Praised for their strong visual style, ...

's '' Red Dust'' in 1999.

Accolades

The film won the Jury Grand Prix at 2014's Les Arcs International Film Festival.

won the Best Director award at the

Warsaw Film Festival Warsaw Film Festival ( pl, Warszawski Festiwal Filmowy, abbreviated as WFF) is an annual film festival held every October in Warsaw, Poland which previews new films of all genres, including documentaries from all around the world. The festival ha ...

in Poland.

won the Venice Horizons Award for Best Actor or Actress at the 71st Venice International Film Festival in Italy and had also won the

Golden Arena for Best Actor Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershir ...

at the

Pula Film Festival Pula Film Festival ( hr, Pulski filmski festival) is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the Pula Arena. Pula Film Festival is the oldest Croatian film festival and is usually held in ...

in Croatia.

References

External links

* * http://www.jutarnji.hr/ognjen-svilicic--hrvatski-redatelji-pokusavaju-imitirati-holivudsku-produkciju--sto-je-lose--poput-kineskih-imitacija-poznatih-brendova-/1215994/ {{Ognjen Sviličić 2014 films Drama films based on actual events Croatian drama films 2014 drama films Films directed by Ognjen Sviličić Films set in Zagreb