Free

Free follows the path to freedom of a group of people with intellectual disabilities that are locked away in Croatian institutions. The only things that Ivan, Enes, Tina, Kruno, Mirko, Tomo have in common is that they are outcasts of society and they dream of freedom: we see them institutionalised and we watch what it’s like to be isolated, deprived of privacy and of one’s rights to make decisions regarding their own life. One day they are informed that they will be released. After decades spent in institutions, a new beginning awaits them: Ivan has always wanted to be a police officer, Enes buys a video camera and starts to document his everyday life, Tina and Kruno want to get married, Mirko and Tomo dream of becoming football coaches at their favourite local club, Silvia starts singing in the church choir, Andjelko is trying to find a girl and a job... The camera observes them, capturing their perspective on the biggest change of their lives while they try to fulfil their long-postponed dreams. It is a good opportunity for all of us, those who never had anything to do with these institutions, to start reflecting on our own lives, our freedoms, and the things we take for granted in our societies.

  • Tomislav Zaja
    Director
  • Tomislav Zaja
    Writer
  • Tomislav Zaja
    Producer
  • Jasenko Rasol
    DOP
  • Davor Svaic
    Editor
  • Vjeran Salamon
    Composer
  • Hrvoje Radnic
    Sound
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Social, Human Rights, Mental Health
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 12 minutes 34 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 10, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    120,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Croatia
  • Country of Filming:
    Croatia
  • Language:
    Croatian
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Tomislav Zaja

Earned his masters degree in documentary film at the film academy FAMU in Prague. Multi-awarded author with 25 years of professional experience. Wrote, directed and/or produced over fifty documentaries, few shorts and experimental films, two TV adaptions of theatre plays, and three fiction films - one as director and co-writer, and two as co-producer.

Festivals and Awards:
“CAR MEN”
Blue Sun Special Jury Award at TTVV Festival Riccione 1994
“LIVE FROM THE MOON”
Award for the best editing at Days of Croatian Film 1994
“THE HOUSE”
Official Competition at New York Independent Film Festival 2005
“THE HAIDARI CRISIS”
Official Competition at Days of Croatian Film 2006
Official Competition at Liburnija Film Festival 2007
Official Competition at Brussels Visions du Reel 2007
Official Competition at Dhaka Independent Film Festival 2008
Official Competition at Rome Independent Film Festival 2008
“TWO SISTERS”
Official Competition at Days of Croatian Film 2008
Official Competition at Liburnija Film Festival 2008
“SOLO”
Official Competition at Mediterranean Film Festival in Split 2009
Official Competition at SuperSupetar Festival 2009
Jury Award for Best Film and Public Choice Award at Vanka Regula Film Festival 2009
“ON THE EDGE”
Nomination for the Best Documentary at NHK Japan Prize 2010
Official competition at Zagreb DOX 2011
“NEW DAY”
Zagreb Human Rights Film Festival 2013
Seize The Film - Novi Sad 2014
Free Spirit Film Festival 2014
Award of Excellence at International Film Festival for Spirituality, Religion, and Visionary 2014
Faith and Spirituality Short Film Competition 2014
Richmond Diversity Film Festival 2015
International Freethought Film Festival 2015
Making a Difference for Reel 2015
Roma Cinema Doc 2015
Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival 2015
“THE LITTLE GYPSY WITCH”, fiction, 98', 2014
Life Film Festival 2014
Opuzen Film Festival 2015
Festival of Colors 2015
Muskoka Independent Film Festival 2015
Special Diploma at International Children’s Television Festival “Dytiatko” 2015
Best Screenplay at Indian Cine Film Festival 2015
Best Feature Film at El Ojo Cojo International Film Festival 2015
Seattle Children’s Film Festival 2016
Award of Merit at Accolade Global Film Competition 2016
Undependence Film Festival 2016
Cordoba International Film Festival 2016
Colossus Film Festival 2016
Best Children’s Film at Near Nazareth Film Festival 2016
Best Family Film at New York Sun Film Festival 2016
European International Film Festival 2016
Ekurhuleni International Film Festival 2016
San Diego International Kids Film Festival 2016
San Antonio Film Festival 2016
Swedish International Film Festival, Stockholm 2016
New York Film Screenings 2016
Cottbus International film Festival 2016
Golden Door International Film Festival, New Jersey 2016
Film Fest Kosova - Goddes on the Throne, Prishtina 2016
Great Lakes International Film Festival 2016
Golden Anteaters International Film Festival 2016
Best Feature Film at MAC Underground Film Festival 2016
Chinh Inda Kids Film Festival 2016
Rendezvous Film Festival 2017
Silver Palm Award at Mexico International Film Festival 2017
Best Children's Film at RA International Independent Film Awards 2017
“FREE”, doc, 73', 2015
Best Feature Documentary at Hong Kong Arthouse Film Festival 2016
Best Feature Documentary at Venice Film Week 2016
Best Feature Documentary at Top Indie Film Awards 2016
Best Director at Liburnia Film Festival 2016
Best Feature Documentary at Somerville International Film Festival 2016
Best Feature Documentary at Martinique Film Festival 2016
Award of Merit at Accolade Global Film Competition 2016
Award of Excelence at Headline International Film Festival 2016
Best Feature Documentary at CineAid Film Festival 2016
Silver Palm Award at Mexico International Film Festival 2017
One World Romania International Human Rights Film Festival 2016
Wales Documentary Film Festival 2016
Lisbon International Film Festival 2016
Near Nazareth Film Festival 2016
New York Sun Film Festival 2016
Ekurhuleni International Film Festival 2016
Esperanza International Film Festival 2016
Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival 2016
New York Film Screenings 2016
Toronto Film Week 2016
Special Affects Film Festival 2016
Cannes International Film Festival of Disability 2016
Golden Door International Film Festival 2016
Vox Feminae Film Festival 2016
Sprout Touring Film Festival 2016
Guam International Film Festival 2016
Great Lakes International Film Festival 2016
New York Film Week 2016
Blow-Up Chicago International Arthouse Film Festival 2016
Minorities and Borders International Film Festival 2016
Free Spirit Film Festival 2016
Eindhovens Film Festival 2016
Pnom Penh International Film Festival 2016
Fast Forward Podgorica Human Rights Film Festival 2016
Respect Belfast Human Rights Film Festival 2017
Annual Copenhagen Film Festival 2017
UK Screen One 2017
Indie Film Depot 2017
Marcellino De Baggis International Documentary Film Festival 2017
Buenos Aires International Human Rights Film Festival 2017
Extraordinary Brusseles Film Festival 2017
DokuBaku International Documentary Film Festival 2017

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Director Statement

FREE is an observational documentary that is following its characters in scope of two years. The film starts in several institutions where we watch and feel what is it like to be isolated and deprived of any rights, privacy, or decisions about your own life. All of these people have the same dream - to be free. When they leave from the institutions they start to change in front of our eyes. We are observing our characters as they are trying to fulfill their dreams, but this time from their perspective. Thanks to this new perspective we start to think about our lives, our freedom, and our society - the same society that have stolen decades of these people’s lives.