The 12th Annual Bosnian-Herzegovinian Film Festival will be held from May 21 to May 23, 2015 in New York City. Among the many films to be screened will be “Dear Lastan!” from Croatian director Irena Škorić. A total of 14 films will screen at Tribeca Cinemas in New York City. They include four feature films, four short films, and six documentaries.
1136 years since the first international recognition of Croatia, more than 600 years before the discovery of America
The Croatian Prince Branimir, 9th century, made important steps in strengthening the relations with Rome. During the solemn divine service in St. Peter’s church in Rome in 879, Pope John VIII gave his blessing to the prince and the whole Croatian people, about which he informed Branimir in his letters, the first one dated on May 21, 879. This was the first time that the Croatian state was officially recognized (at that time the international legitimacy was given by the Pope), which, as we see, happened more than eleven centuries ago!
Nenad Bach to be featured on Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight May 15, 2015
Croatian-American musician and composer Nenad Bach (left) will be featured on Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight with Kathy Millar on 100.7 WHUD. The program aims to introduce listeners to the artists who live and perform in the Hudson Valley and Westchester, New York. The interview will air on 10:30 p.m. this Friday May, 15, and it will also feature Nenad’s song “Everything is Forever”.
Sarma and Bebek in Haiti
Forty-five children- Haitians by birth and origin, and their favourite song is “Sinoć sam pola kafane popio” – transl. Last night I drank half of the bar’ – by Željko Bebek (former lead singer of Bijelo Dugme). They are orphans in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and were rescued by the Croatian Relief Services, Inc. The Children’s Home was founded by reverend Giordano Belanich, a priest with an American address and of Croatian heart. He was five when his family was forced to flee communist Yugoslavia. Fr Belanich oversees the orphanage while servicing three parishes in the United States.
An Encounter with Oliver Dragojevic in Houston May 7-8 2015
Oliver’s lightening May USA and Canada tour for 2015 is done. He sang in Cleveland, Montreal, New Orleans, Houston, St Louis, and Mississauga on this tour to sold out or nearly sold out crowds. On the Facebook page for the tour is written: “6 performances, several time zone changes, twice crossing Canada-USA border, 9 flights, 700 miles by the car, taking photos and signing autographs to over a 1,000 fans! All of that in just 11 days!” We all love Oliver Dragojevic, and we are looking forward to seeing him again. Viva Las Vegas!
The 2nd International Flute Summer Academy in Karlovac, Croatia July 5th-12th 2015
The Croatia Flute Academy is an international flute summer course, which presents a week full of intensive workshops, flute-clinics, seminars, shows, masterclasses, concerts, 1-1 Lessons, round-tables & ensemble-rehearsals. Flutists of all ages and levels are welcome to apply for a place. It will also feature guest professors from all over the world including Damjan Krajačić(left) of Croatia.
Zoran Orlic captures musician Richard Thompson for his new album "Still"
Richard Thompson is the latest musician to be captured through the lens of photographer Zoran Orlic (left). This time it is for Thompson’s new album “Still” due to be released in June and which is being produced by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Orlic’s photos have appeared in numerous magazines including Rolling Stone, newspapers, websites and music packaging.
Metkovic Croatian town on Neretva river ornithological paradise in Europe
The town of Metković is best known for Fr. Ante Gabrić, SJ, Sundarban saint in Bengal in India, who was born in this town. It is also known for its exceptionally rich nature, due to its position on the delta of the Neretva river at the Adriatic sea. Especialy interesting is its Ornitological Museum. In the vicinity of the town there is a valuable archeological site of Narona from Roman times. During the last two decades the city has revived its tradition of races of old traditional boats. On the photo is a detail from the church of St. Elias (Sv. Ilija) dominating the town and the Neretva valley.
Marijo Moznik 2015 European gymnastics champion in horizontal bar competition in Montpellier France
Marijo Možnik won gold in the men’s horizontal bar at the European Championships in Montpellier on Sunday with a high 14.833 points in the final. The gold medal was Croatia’s first ever gymnastic gold medal at a European Championships. It was however the second time Možnik has won a European Championship medal after he picked up silver, also in Montpellier, three years ago. Možnik also has a World Championship bronze medal.
Artur Bagdasarov and Vinicije Lupis creating a bridge of friendship between Armenia and Croatia
Artur Bagdasarov (Moscow) and Vinicije Lupis (Dubrovnik) are the authors of an important book Armenija – domovina sv. Vlaha (Armenia – Homeland of St Blaise), dealing with the history St. Blaise tradition in the city of Dubrovnik, going back to the 10th century. St. Blaise, known in Croatia as Sveti Vlaho, is an Armenian saint who lived in 3rd and 4th centuries. The monograph provides a detailed account of historical contactcts between Croatians and Armenians. Dr. Artur Bagdasarov is an expert in Croatian linguistics, while Dr. Vinicije Lupis is a distinguished Croatian historian.
Hrvojka Mihanovic Salopek and her Stella Maris Croatiae project
Hrvojka Mihanović Salopek, PhD, of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, is the director of important cultural project Stella Maris Croatiae , the aim of which is to present the most important examples of the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Croatia, including noted Marian shrines and an anthological selection of Marian works from the theological, artistic and musical heritage. Dr. Mihanović Salopek and her team deserve our deep gratitude for her project and for their fantastic achievement, this time concentrated on the Southern Croatian islands and on Slavonian wheat fields.
Brittain Kovac is waking up debt-free in America
Brittain Kovac’s great grandmother came from Croatia and settled in Strawberry Hill in Kansas City, KS. Her family loved the openness of the space, and the opportunity to own and care for land. Their entrepreneurial spirit was passed down to Brittain’s dad and to her as well. They also passed down the sense of responsibility that comes with any such opportunity: the need to give back. When Brittain was around 13, she went on a mission trip to the heart of Jamaica. “It literally changed my life and the direction that I had planned for my future,” she says.
Zdravko Basaric: Everything is Forever when I met Nenad Bach
I first met Nenad during Christmas mass in the Church of Saints Cyril & Methodius and St. Raphael in Manhattan. It was during my visit to New York (1998) where I was promoting my novel Rhapsody on the Island of Susak for Croatian emigrants and the American public. During prayer I saw a tall man, with a distinct black hat. Very soon after the mass I had the honor of meeting him. This man is a Croatian American recording artist, composer, performer, producer and peace activist. The author of the article is Zdravko Basarić, Croatian writer, on the photo.
Grgich Hills Estate celebrates the 35th anniversary of The Great Chicago Chardonnay Showdown
Chicago Tribune called 1977 Chardonnay “The Best Chardonnay in the World” In 1980 “The Great Chicago Showdown” brought together 221 of the best Chardonnays from around the world. Chardonnays from France, California,…
Vote for Robert Herjavec 855 234 5609 on Dancing With The Stars
Vote for Robert Herjavec 855 234 5609 on Dancing With The Stars
Fritzie Zivic boxing welterweight champ invited by famous inventor Nikola Tesla to lunch in New York
Fritzie Zivic never asked why. He never asked if his opponent hit hard, if his opponent deserved the shot, if the opponent would be tough. He just said “yes” and signed the contract. Perhaps this fearlessness is the reason why Zivic may have fought a better array of boxers than any fighter in history. 23,190 people filled the Madison Square Garden in New York to the rafters when Armstrong met Zivic again on January 17, 1941. This remains the all-time highest Garden record for attendance! After this match, great inventor Nikola Tesla invited his compatriot and his four brothers to celebrate this win in his hotel. See Tesla and Zivic on the photo.
Max Emanuel Cencic Croatian countertenor singing from Versailes and St Petersburg to Budapest and Vienna
We are pleased to announce, that performances of our successful production of Siroe (the opera by Johann Adolf Hasse), directed by Max Emanuel Cencic, will be resumed on April 18th 2015 in semi-staged version at Budapest’s Vigszinhaz. Following this, there will be a performance in concert version in Theater an der Wien, Vienna, on April 21st. The high carat cast will be the same as in Versailles, consisting of Max Emanuel Cencic in title role.
Help Portal Dobrote feed schoolchildren in Croatia
The indiegogo campaign ‘No Child Left Hungry & No Person Left Powerless’ for hungry Croatian school children created by Tajci, has successfully closed. The campaign was created by Tajci after the women behind Portal Dobrote reached out to her for help to raise money for hungry children and to help bring greater awareness to the issue. The results of the campaigns are amazing but unfortunately, there are still some children on the waiting list, and Portal Dobrote are a few thousand Kuna short of helping two other schools who requested help for remainder of this school year – 2014/2015. If you are in Croatia, or can easily donate to a Croatian bank account, please consider donating directly to Portal dobrote’s Croatian bank account.
Nenad Ban makes a major discovery that could lead to new and effective antibiotics against cancer
An international team of scientists led by prof. Nenad Ban (left) recently published the detailed structure of the so-called Mitochondrial ribosomes in the online edition of the prestigious journal Science. This discovery is important for the development of more effective antibiotics and new drugs against cancer. “The study of mitochondrial ribosomes will enable us to develop better antibiotics. Namely, in order to develop better antibiotics is important to know what bacterial ribosomes and mitochondrial ribosomes look like, so as to prevent undesirable side effects of various antibiotics used clinically.” said Ban.
Major discovery by Croatian scientist could lead to new anti-cancer anibiotics
An international team of scientists led by prof. Nenad Ban (left) recently published the detailed structure of the so-called Mitochondrial ribosomes in the online edition of the prestigious journal Science. This discovery…