Luka Papić is an award-winning Croatian independent filmmaker and screenwriter. He was born in Zagreb, Croatia in 1981. He graduated from the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb in 2003 and has since worked on numerous feature films and television shows.
Papić’s first feature film, A Stranger, debuted in 2006 and won the Special Jury Award for Best Feature Film at the Pula Film Festival in Croatia. His second feature, White White World, debuted in 2010 at the Berlin International Film Festival and won the Best Film Award at the Sarajevo Film Festival.
In 2011, Papić wrote and directed his third feature film, No One’s Child, which was the first feature film from Croatia to be nominated for an Academy Award. The film follows the story of an orphaned boy who is adopted by a family in a small village and his struggles to fit in and find his place in the world. The film went on to win numerous awards including Best Feature Film at the South East European Film Festival and the Golden Arena Award for Best Film at the Pula Film Festival.
In 2013, Papić wrote and directed his fourth feature film, The High Sun, which was the first Croatian feature film to compete in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival. The film follows the story of three different couples from three consecutive time periods and how their relationships are affected by war. The film went on to win the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Best Feature Film at the South East European Film Festival, and the Golden Arena Award for Best Film at the Pula Film Festival.
Papić’s fifth feature film, The Diary of Diana B., was released in 2018. The film follows the story of a young woman who decides to document her life in a diary as a way to cope with the trauma of war. The film was selected to compete in the main competition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and won the Best Film Award at the South East European Film Festival.
Papić is considered a leading figure in the Croatian film industry and his films have been critically acclaimed both in Croatia and internationally. He is known for his unique visual style and his ability to tell stories that capture the complexity of human emotion and relationships in the context of war and conflict. His films have been praised for their powerful storytelling and their ability to explore the nuances of human experience
