The short experimental-documentary film ‘Leave This Room Buried’, the directorial debut of editor and cinematographer Iva Kraljević, was honored with two awards at the recently concluded LIBURNIA FILM FESTIVAL, where it had its Croatian premiere!
It is an intimate story that unfolds as a journey through a personal imaginary realm and fragile poetry, capturing grief, the complicity of silence, and fragments of presence in what remains. Alongside the award for Best Regional Film, Iva was also awarded Best Sound Design, with the five-member international jury—comprising film professionals of diverse backgrounds: Rijeka editor, sound recordist, and activist Ana Jurčić; director of the Maribor Dokudoc festival Maja Malus Azhdari; producer, director, and ZagrebDox festival director Nenad Puhovski; editor Jan Klemsche; and cinematographer and director Damian Nenadić—explaining their decision as follows:
The jury highlighted that the film transcends regional boundaries, turning a personal and poetic account into a powerful global appeal.
“By merging intimate experience, historical memory, and the current social moment, the film resonates strongly with the theme of this year’s festival and leaves space for necessary reflection on the future we are creating together,” the statement reads.
Regarding the award for Best Sound Design, the jury emphasized that “it is a fully developed and thoughtful piece of artistic work in which the sound, complementary to the image, carries the emotional and dramaturgical weight of the film, opening up space for personal and collective memories.”
