The Living and the Dead, a feature film debut by Croatian director  Kristijan Milić won the main award at the 28th International Cinematographers' Film Festival MANAKI BROTHERS in Bitola. The jury members Matthias Maasz, German director, Philip Bergson, British film critic, Marek Dobes, Czech director, Sergej Stanojkovski, and the president, Hungarian director Karoly Makk awarded the work of cinematographer Dragan Marković for its dynamic visual explosiveness blending past and all-too-recent conflicts, powerfully suggesting the eternal futility of war. Marković shared the first prize with Jaromir Sofr, cinematographer of Menzel's 'I Served the King Of England'. Milić's film will be showcased at the main programme section of this year's ZFF.

Based upon a book by Croatian writer Josip Mlakić, 'The Living and the Dead' shows two parallel stories connecting same place and war environment, but half a century apart. The first story takes place in 1993. during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the second one takes place in 1943. during the World War II. Both stories parallely complement one another during the film and after numerous disturbing events finally collide at a secret timeless cemetery. Considered to be cursed, the cemetery is the place where powerful forces are released before dawn: the Fire force- alternately present in both stories, and the force of the Dead- the force of people who died in all wars... Photos are available at this address, and for trailer, click here
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