The second day of Slano Film Days 2025 began with brief introductions and presentations by all participants from Croatia and the region, and continued with film talks and two screenings.

Film Talk with Michel Franco

Director and producer Michel Franco, a long-time guest of the festival whose latest film DREAMS premiered at Berlinale 2025, spoke about the challenges of working in today’s film industry, in a talk moderated by director Ognjen Glavonić.

The Mexican filmmaker reflected on the ever-changing nature of the sector, emphasizing the need to adapt, even for established auteurs in the mature stages of their careers. “If I don’t keep on working, I’ll become outdated,” Franco remarked.

Cinematographer Michael Seresin joined the conversation from the audience responding to the director’s scepticism toward television. Franco, who writes, directs, and produces his own films, stressed the importance of an auteur-driven approach, which he believes is often lost in television. “Of course, it's different when someone like Cuarón is making a TV show – that's auteurial,” he added.

The conversation repeatedly touched on the subject of money and financing, with Franco sharing insights from his wide-ranging experience, from independent local films to large American productions. He emphasized that it was through low-budget filmmaking that he developed his distinctive working method. “The biggest mistake people make with film is believing that money solves problems,” the director concluded.

Film Talk with Jasmila Žbanić

Director Jasmila Žbanić, whose body of work ranges from regional productions to global hit series, and includes a Berlinale Golden Bear and an Oscar nomination, spoke about the recurring themes of history and war in her work, in a talk moderated by director Ognjen Glavonić. “I don’t make films for the sake of my career. I make them because of what I believe is important to me and, even more importantly, to other people." said the director.

She also reflected on her experience working on the series THE LAST OF US, highlighting how liberating it was to work in a system where budget didn’t impose creative limitations. “I had every resource at my disposal,” said Žbanić, but added that such a production brings its own challenges: “On the other hand, that amount of money also means that good directing is less important than PR and return on investment.”

The participants were particularly interested in her work on the sequel to QUO VADIS, AIDA?, which comes with numerous political obstacles and an emotionally demanding creative process. Žbanić spoke about working with people personally connected to the film’s subject, emphasizing the importance of patience and dedication: “We knew what we were getting into, that it would be hard to make, that we would pour many years of our lives into it, but we believe the film is worth it.”

In the afternoon, Film Talks took place between the participating directors with producer Emilie Georges, while at the same time, Steve Buscemi held a film talk with the participating actors.

Renowned cinematographers Michael Seresin and Yves Cape held a Film Talk with female cinematographers.

Film and Music Night

The second day of open-air screenings at Villa Riva exceeded all expectations, with two films shown before a packed audience.

The short film MUSE by Paweł Pawlikowski was introduced by the director himself and Małgosia Bela, who wrote the screenplay, designed the costumes, produced the film, and stars in it alongside Marcin Masecki, a Polish avant-garde pianist, composer, and conductor.

“This is actually my first film in quite a while, so in a way, it's my big comeback. We felt we needed a proper reason to be invited again to Slano, a place where I’ve met so many amazing artists and human beings. After all, we can't keep showing up empty-handed,” said the acclaimed Oscar winner with a touch of humor at the start of his introduction. He emphasized that he wasn't the sole auteur of the work, and Małgosia Bela joined him on stage to present the film together, along with pianist Masecki. After the screening, Masecki performed the film score live.

Following Pawlikowski’s selection, the cult noir film THE THIRD MAN by Carol Reed was also screened.

“I remember two years ago, when Joel Cohen was here, I asked him what films he and his brother used to watch before going into production, and he said The Third Man was among them. It's just one of these touchstone films where a lot of things came together brilliantly. The story, the photography, it's got great music too. It's lyrical, it's romantic, it's cynical, it's got everything going for it. I realize that not many people have seen it these days, including my good friend Michel Franco, so I dedicate this screening to Michel Franco personally” Pawlikowski concluded, making the audience laugh.