The Albert Kapović Award for outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of Croatian cinema is this year presented to Sanja Ravlić, a brilliant expert in the audiovisual sector and a specialist in international cultural policies.

Mrs Ravlić was part of a small team who launched Croatian Audiovisual Centre in 2007, the umbrella institution for film in the country, in which she was active for years. She launched many open calls for script, film and TV project development and promoted international co-productions, audiovisual heritage preservation and survival of public television. Her activity increased the reputation of Croatian film on the international scene. She was our long-time representative with Eurimages, where she paved the road to many Croatian minority co-productions.

Sanja Ravlić launched many international initiatives promoting collaboration and networking between professionals. For years she fostered gender equality in the audiovisual sector and her efforts reached their peak late last year, when the Council of Europe passed a Recommendation on Gender Equality in the Audiovisual Sector, in whose making she was actively involved.

“Sanja Ravlić is one of those rare people whom we need for the building and development of operational and successful systems within the scope of cultural policies of modern democratic societies. Sanja is a person whose enviable education, knowledge, experience, ideas, thoughts and contacts – accompanied by unending energy, enthusiasm and social skills – are put to use of public policies and creating space for creative work and improvement of her fellow countrymen,” says the statement of the jury consisting of: Vanja Sremac, Vanja Andrijević, Sanja Borčić, Maša Udovičić and Robert Vidić.

Sanja Ravlić graduated in comparative literature and French from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb, followed by a degree in production at the British NFTS. Between 1987 and 1994 she worked as an editor for Croatian Television’s drama department, and after UK graduation as an independent film and TV producer and radio producer for BBC World Services in London. A member of the founding team of Croatian Audiovisual Centre, where she worked from 2008 to 2017. A Member of the Croatian Filmmakers Association, Croatian Producers Association and European Film Academy.