Biography
Jan Cvitkovic is the most acclaimed Slovenian director, screenwriter, and actor, known for his distinctive storytelling approach and ability to capture the complexity of the human experience on screen.
As a filmmaker, he has made numerous award-winning films that have received over 60 awards at film festivals worldwide, including the Lion of the Future Award at the Venice Film Festival in 2001 and the Best New Director Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival in 2005. Both films were Foreign Language Oscar candidates.
His films have been broadcast on various TV stations from Europe to Australia (TV 1000, ARTE, RAI, SBS Australia...) and have been distributed in various European countries.
Jan Cvitkovic is a member of the European Film Academy.
In 1995, he wrote the screenplay for 'Rop stoletja' (Robbery of the Century), which received critical acclaim and launched his career as a scriptwriter.
In 1999, Cvitkovic acted in and co-wrote the film 'V leru' (Idle Running), which won the awards for Best Film, Best Screenplay, FIPRESCI Award, and Audience Award at the Festival of Slovenian Film.
As an actor in the film 'V leru', he won the Yves Montand - Best Actor Award at the Kyiv Film Festival, the Best Actor Award at the Faces of Love Film Festival in Moscow, the Best Actor Award at the Cottbus Film Festival in Germany, and the Best Actor Award at the Festival of Slovenian Film.
His debut film as a director was 'Kruh in mleko' (Bread and Milk), which was a Foreign Language Oscar candidate in 2001 and received several awards. These include the Lion of the Future for the Best Debut Feature Film Award at the Venice Film Festival, the Special Jury Prize, the Don Quijotte Award, and the Special Mention from the FIPRESCI and Audience Jury at the Cottbus Film Festival. The film won a total of 13 awards at film festivals worldwide.
Cvitkovic's short film 'Srce je kos mesa' (The Heart Is a Piece of Meat) premiered at the Venice Film Festival and was part of the competition section Corto Cortissimo. It also won several awards, including the Best Short Film Award at the Gijón International Film Festival.
His second feature film, 'Odgrobadogroba' (Gravehopping), was a Foreign Language Oscar candidate in 2005 and won more than 20 awards at film festivals worldwide. These include the Altadis Best Director Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, the Best Film Award, and the Best Script Award at the Torino Film Festival. At the Festival of Slovenian Film, Gravehopping won the awards for Best Feature Film, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Supporting Actor.
Cvitkovic's short film 'Vem' (I Know) premiered in 2007 at the Locarno Film Festival and won the Vesna Award for Best Short Fiction Film at the Festival of Slovenian Film.
His short film 'To je zemlja, brat moj' (This is Earth, My Brother) premiered in 2009 at the Venice Film Festival and was a part of the competition section Corto Cortissimo.
Another one of his feature films, 'Archeo' (2011), won the Vesna Award for Best Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Cinematography at the Festival of Slovenian Film. It also won the Best Feature Film Award at the International Film Festival in Innsbruck.
In 2013, he was one of the 70 film authors from all over the world invited by the Venice Film Festival to make a short film to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the festival. He shot a film called 'I Was a Child', which premiered on the opening night.
His short film 'Love on the Top of the World' (2015) won the Best Film Award, the Best Director Award, the Best Actor Award, and the Best Soundtrack Award at the Festival of Slovenian Film.
His feature film 'Druzinica' (The Basics of Killing), released in 2017, won 8 awards at different film festivals, including the Best Actress Award at the Montreal World Film Festival.
One of his most recent works, the short film 'A ti mene vidis?' (Do You See Me?), released in 2022, won a Special Mention at the Festival Mundial de Cine de Veracruz, Mexico, and the IRIS Award for Best Picture.
Cvitkovic was also the director and co-writer of the Slovenian TV series 'Dalec je smrt' (Death is Far Away), which aired in 2002 and was nominated as one of the three Best European TV series at the legendary Prix Italia Festival.
As an actor, he has worked on several Slovene and Italian films and TV series, including 'V leru', 'Eppure cadiamo felici', 'Zoran, My Nephew the Idiot', 'Oda Presernu', 'Driving School', 'Lahko noc, gospodicna', 'Versopolis', 'Volevo fare la rockstar', and others.
Known for his unique visual style and ability to capture the nuances of human relationships, Cvitkovic's films often explore themes of loss, identity, and the search for meaning in a world that can be both beautiful and cruel. His work has been praised for its emotional depth and its ability to connect with audiences on a deeply personal level.
In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Cvitkovic has also been active in promoting the arts in Slovenia. He is a co-founder of the film production company Staragara and the initiator and Honorary President of the International Film Festival Kino Otok (Isola Cinema).
He has served as a member of the jury at the following international film festivals: Locarno Film Festival (Switzerland), Miami Film Festival (USA), Sarajevo Film Festival (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Cinema without Borders Film Festival, Palm Springs (USA), Gijón Film Festival (Spain), Skopje Film Festival (North Macedonia), Herceg Novi Film Festival (Montenegro), and Days of the Author Film, Belgrade (Serbia).
With his unique vision and commitment to the art of filmmaking, Jan Cvitkovic continues to inspire and captivate audiences around the world.
22 wins and 14 nominations
