Ivona Juka

Director

Ivona Juka is the author of award-winning short films „Garbage“ and „Editing“, which was selected in Official competition of numerous A festivals in the USA. She was selected by European Film Academy as one of 5 European students to make short film for awards ceremony in Berlin, and to participate at the EFA conference «Cinema of Tomorrow» in Warsaw as one of the most perspective young directors in Europe.

Her previous short VIEW FROM A WELL was awarded as Best Film at American IFF and Ivona was awarded as Best Director.

Ivona Juka is the scriptwriter and director of full-length creative documentary „Facing the Day“, the most awarded Croatian documentary film. It was awarded as Best documentary at goEast FF in Wiesbaden, DokMa FF, Sarajevo FF and by Croatian Film Critics and won Grand Prix at Croatian Film Days. Film had very successful cinema distribution in Croatia, BiH and FYROM.

YOU CARRY ME is Ivona’s debut feature fiction film. Film had the premiere at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2015. After Karlovy Vary, it was awarded with 6 awards (Pula film festival 4 awards; Montenegro Film Festival – award for the Best Director; Zadar Film Festival – Grand Prix) and invited to many other film festivals as International Film Festival of India – Goa (November 2015.); Fest – Belgrade International Film Festival (February 2016); Muenchen International Film Festival (June 2016) and many others.

 

Ivona Juka is a member of the European Film Academy.

 


IVONA JUKA – FILMOGRAPHY

 

“YOU CARRY ME”, feature fiction film, 2015, Galileo Production, 4film, Vertigo

Ivona Juka received the City of Split Award for the Best Script for “You carry me” as well as „Branko Bauer“ award from Croatian Film Directors' Guild; and in Germany she was granted a fellowship from the NIPKOW PROGRAM – well known German program for media professionals. “YOU CARRY ME” received éQuinoxe Master Class scholarship as one of the 10 best European projects. YOU CARRY ME won support of the Eurimages.

Filmski festival Herceg Novi- Montenegro Film Festival– official competition - won award for the Best Director

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – East of the West

Sarajevo Film Festival – In Focus

Pula Film Festival – official competition – won 4 awards

Zadar Film Festival – The first and second film program – won the Grand Prix

LET’S CEE Film Festival- won award for the Best Film

Film is invited to more than 15 film festivals in 2015 and 2016; among others at: International Film Festival in India (Goa) in November 2015; Belgrade International Film Festival (February 2016); Muenchen International Film Festival (June 2016) etc.

Film is also nominated by European Film Academy for the Best European Film among 55 best European films. Award ceremony will be in December 2015 in Berlin.

 

“View from a Well” („Pogled iz bunara“), short fiction film, 4 Film Ltd, scriptwriter and director Ivona Juka

 

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR – Ms. Ivona Juka

AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN 35mm – VIEW FROM A WELL

AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ROLE – Ms. Nera Stipičević

 

MOLODIST KYEV INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL – official competition, Special Mention

«Facing the Day» («Što sa sobom preko dana»), feature – length documentary, 72 min, 2006, 4 Film Ltd.

 

Cinema distribution: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia

Television distribution: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina

 

- goEast Film Festival, Wiesbaden 2006 – Best Documentary Award

- Croatian Film Days 2006

- GRAND PRIX – Best Film of the Festival

- OKTAVIJAN for the Best Documentary – Award by Film Critics        Society

- Sarajevo Film Festival 2006 – Heart of Sarajevo for Best Documentary

- DokMa – Maribor – Best European Documentary Award

 

- Montreal World Film Festival 2006 – Documentaries of the World

                 - Motovun Film Festival – Official Competition

            - Dokufest, Prizren 2006 – Official Competition

            - Libertas Film Festival, Dubrovnik 2006 – Official Competition

            - 17th Ljubljana International Film Festival

           - International Sofia Film Festival

           - Kalkuta Film Festival – official competition

            - Sao Paolo International Film Festival – official competition

            - Author Film Festival, Belgrade

 

 

«EDITING», short film, 3 min, 2006

short film for European Film Academy Awards Ceremony, director Ivona Juka

- Summer shorts film festival, 2006, New York – 2nd Award

- BS ShortsGrand Prix

- Croatian Film Days 2008

- Nashville Film Festival 2007. – Official competition

- Rhode Island Film Festival 2007 - Official competition

- Brasilian Student film Festival – Official competition

- Palm Springs Short Film Festival 2007 – Official competition

- Interfilm Berlin – official competition

- Barbados Short Film Festival – official competition

- Short Film Festival of India – official competition

- Santa Barbara International Film Festival – Official competition

- Cleveland International Film Festival – Official competition

- Sapporo International short Film festival 2008

- California Independent Film Festival

 

 

«BEHIND THE DOOR», short film, 2'13'' min, 2007

 

«Welcome Home, Brother!» («Dobrodošao kuči, brate!») documentary, 28min, 2005, Academy of Dramatic Arts - ADU

 

  • Festival of documentary film Ičići 2005 – Special Jury Award
  • «Croatian Movie Days» (DHF) 2005 - official competition
  • International Festival of Short Films, Mostar 2005 - official competition
  • Dubrovnik Film Festival 2005 - official competition
  • International student film festival Munchen 2005 - official competition

 

«Blue Pony Bicycle» («Plavi pony»), documentary, 23 min, 2005, Academy of Dramatic Arts - ADU

 

  • 1st International Festival of Documentary Films «ZgDox», Zagreb 2005 - Special Jury Award
  • «Croatian Movie Days» (DHF) 2005 - official competition
  • Sarajevo Film Festival 2005 – official competition

 

 

«Nothing Else» («Ništa više»), short film, 12 min, 2004, Academy of Dramatic Arts - ADU

 

  • Motovun Film Festival 2004 - official competition
  • The European Short Film Festival in Baden Wurttemberg - official competition
  • International Short Film Festival in Mostar 2005 - official competition

 

«Garbage» («Smeće»), short film, 5 min, 2003, Academy of Dramatic Arts - ADU

  • R.K.A. 2004. - Award for the Best Director
  • International Short film festival in Mostar - Special Jury Award
  • «Croatian Movies Days» (DHF) 2005 - official competition
  • «goEast» Festival in Wiesbaden 2004 - official competition
  • International Student film Festival in Tel Aviv 2004 - official competition

 

 

Workshops and lectures:

2014 - eQuinoxe - 15. Intl. Screenwriters'  Workshop & Master Class

THE ADVISORS:

Claire Dobbin, Deputy Chair of the international script development program eQuinoxe Europe e.V. and is a script advisor to international participants of the workshop. She has taught screenwriting at both the Victorian College of the Arts Masters program and RMIT Screenwriting program

 

James V. Hart, screenwriter and producer. His writing/producing credits include: HOOK (Steven Spielberg), BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (Francis Ford Coppola) and CONTACT (Robert Zemeckis).

 

Neil Hunter has written and directed three feature films: BOYFRIENDS (Best feature film at Turin Lesbian & Gay Film festival), LAWLESS HART (Best Screenplay awards at the Evening Standard Film Awards and the British Independed Film Awards) and SPARKLE (nominated for Best Screenplay, Evening Standard Film Awards)

 

David Magee, screenplay writer of the Ang Lee’s lates film LIFE OF PI (9 BAFTA nominationas and 13 Oscar nominations). Magee also wrote FINDING NEVERLAND (11 BAFTA nominations and 7 Oscar nominations).

 

Susan Schulte, Head of the Drama Department for the German Ministry of Culture from 2002 to 2013. An excerpt of her awards include the 2009 First Steps Honorary Award for her work with young talent, the 2000 VFF Producer Prize, the Award of the Deutchen Akademie der Darstellenden Kuenste in 1989 and 1995, and in 1992 the Adolf Grimme Prize.

 

Martin Sherman, playwright and screenwriter. His plays have been produced in over fifty countries and include BENT, MESSIAH, A MADHOUSE IN GOA, WHEN SHE DANCED, and more. Martin’s screenplays include THE CLOTHES IN THE WARDROPE, ALIVE AND KICKING, BENT, CALLAS FOREVER, and more. He has been nominated for two Tonys, two BAFTAs and two Oliviers.

 

Michael Steinberg, graduate of UCLA Film School, professional writer, director and producer for 29 years. Some of his feature titles include: HELL RIDE, THE CAVE, THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, WICKED, THE WATERDANCE and more.

 

Gregory Widen, holds a Master’s Degree from UCLA. His feature film credits include original screenplays for the motion pictures HIGHLANDER, BACKDRAFT and THE PROPHECY, which he also directed. He’s also the author of the recently published 2013 bestselling novel BLOOD MAKES NOISE.

 

 

2010 – eQuinoxe Master Class - 7.Intl Screenwriters Workshop. Ivona was chosen as one of 10 most talented European scriptwriters. Master class was held by awarded lecturers and each participant had private one on one Class with lecturers which were chosen by the Administrative Board of the organizer according to the project and previous work of the workshop attendants. Ivona’s lecturers were:

Tim Squyres, editor of „Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon“, who was nominated for Oscar, „The Ice Storm“, „Sense and Sensibility“, „Gosford Park“etc. He cooperated with Robert Altman and he is regular associate of Ang Lee.

Martin Sherman – scriptwriter and playwright, twice nomanited for Tony, twice for BAFTA and twice for Oliver. His plays are performed on stages of over 50 countries and he cooperated several times with Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming and Richard Gere on Brodway. Vanessa Redgrave played in his plays, London's West End, and London's National Theatre and Brodway with Olympia Dukakis performed his play „Some Sunny day, Rose“.HE did numerous adaptatinos: Pirandello - „Apsolutely (Perhaps!)“, Čehova etc.

Scripts: „THE CLOTHES IN THE WARDROBE“ ( THE SUMMER HOUSE) with Jeanne Moreau, Joan Plowright and Julie Walters, „ALIVE AND KICKING“ with Jason Flemyng, Anthony Sher and Bill Nighy, film version of „BENT“ with Clive Owen, Lothaire Bluteau, Mick Jagger and Ian McKellen, then in directingi Franco Zeffirelli's „CALAS FOREVER“, „THE ROMAN SPRING OF MRS. STONE“ with Helen Mirren, Oliver Martinez and Anne Bancroft, and „MRS HENDERSON PRESENTS“ directed by Stephen Frears with Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins.

  1. M. Kit Carson – awarded scriptwriter/actor/producer, cooperated with independent and with Hollywoodskim studios on Disney, Paramount, Columbia and UA projects. He writes for Esquire, Rolling Stone, Variety, Texas Monthly, Film Comment, Gq. Member of „Who's Who“ US Writers, Editors & Poets. Hiis scripts are published in books – „DAVID HOLZMAN'S DIARY“ and „PARIS, TEXAS“.

Awards: CANNES FILM FESTIVAL (PALME D'OR) „PARIS, TEXAS“, Mannheim Film Festival (GRAND PRIZE) „DAVID HOLZMAN'S DIARY“, ACE/EMMY „WHY ARE YOU HERE?“, Sundance Film Festival (TRIPLE AWARDS) „HURRICANE STREETS“.

Anthony McCarten – scriptwriter, director, producer. His play „LADIES NIGHT“ was translated to 12 languages and plays worldwide. In 2001 he received Moliere Prize in france for Best Comedy. He did numerous adaptations of novels for film. He directed „VIA SATELLITE“, which is adaptation of his play. Film was in official selection of numerous festivals: Cannes, London, Seattle, Toronto etc. His latest script about prof. Sthephen Hawking and his first wife, under the working title „THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING“ is in pre production in Hollywod.

Laurie Hutzler – one of most famous script doctors, film theorist and consultant of cinema and TV productions. She cooperated with Paul Haggis, director of „CRASH“ on his films: „IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH“ and „QUANTUM OF SOLANCE“. She is a guest lecturer for scriptwriting on numerous USA and Euroepan universities, and she is regular dramaturgical consultant of BBC, Channel 4, ITV etc. After 10years as regular university professor at MFA program UCLA Film School, she is curently „Artist-in-Residence“ in Dallas, lecturing playwriting on-line, and besides numerous guest lectures, she is the author of literature about writing screenplays.

Susanne Schneider – playwriter awarded for best drama in Germany „WIR VERKAUFER“. Awarded for the Best script „FREMDE LIEBE FREMDE“ – Bavarian Television Award for Best Script, and her scripts „SOLO FOR CLARINET“, „FIRE RIDER“, „IN EINER NACHT WIE DIESER“ are nominated for awards at festivals in Germany and worldwide. She directed „THE DAY WILL COME“ which received Thomas Strittmatter Script Prize 2008. She teaches scriptwriting on film Academy in Baden Wuerttemberg-u and at Hamburg Media School.

 

Cinema of Tomorow – selected to be participant in Warsaw of European Film Academy conference. She was invited to take part at EFA conference „Cinema of Tomorrow“ in Warsaw as one of the top ten young award-winning directors in Europe – directors of tomorrow.

 

Berlin Talent Campus (a part of the international film festival in Berlin – Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin )

 

Sunday in the CountryEuropean Film Academy (EFA) has chosen Ivona among European students to make a short fiction film for European Film Academy Awards ceremony in Berlin.