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Croatian silent film „Birtija“

LHD provided sound for the Croatian silent film “Birtija”, created last century in the production of the Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, which was digitally restored by the Croatian Cinematheque of the Croatian State Archives and after the successful premiere of the film with a live music performance as part of the DORF Festival in Vinkovci in the summer of 2023. , continue with performances.

“Birtija” tells the story of alcoholism and its consequences on the family, community and individual addicts. Although the action is set in the twenties of the last century, when the film was created, it brings a timeless and still current depiction of addiction and its negative and devastating impact.

LHD from Sisak thus bridged the time gap from the creation of the film to the present day with original music and completed the dramaturgy of the story with their specific musical author’s signature. The author of the visual identity is Martin Peranović from Otok.

The film was digitally restored with the support of the Croatian Audiovisual Center in 2020. The restoration was carried out in the Zagreb studios Ater and Klik film, where the originals were used on flammable, nitrate film tape.

FILM INFO „Birtija“ (author Joza Ivakić, 1929)

Ever since her father Marko was killed in a drunken argument, villager Anka can’t stand drunkards. She marries Franja only when he promises not to drink another drop of alcohol. After some time in the marriage, Franja breaks his promise at the urging of the peasant Meštra and becomes an alcoholic. It is part of Meštr’s cunning plan to conquer Anka…

In the desire to convey enlightening messages to Yugoslav peasants as efficiently and dramatically as possible, the film department of the School of Public Health decided to embark on the adventure of making real feature films. The task of making two films about the negative customs of a Slavonian village was assigned to the writer and theater director Jozo Ivakić from Vinkovci, an excellent connoisseur of the Slavonian mentality. His first film, Birti, about the problem of rural alcoholism, is a competently made naturalistic drama shot on original Slavonian locations, starring professional theater actors.