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Biography:
Graduated painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb.
He is in animation since 2000.
His films were screened at some of the most important film festivals
(Animafest, Locarno, Annecy, Clermont-Ferrand, Ottawa, Edinburgh, Sarajevo)
and received many awards.
Plays drums in world-music group Cinkusi.
Has two doughters, one wife, lives and works in Zagreb, Croatia.
filmography
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- How (2025) > watch trailer
- The Raft (2021) > watch film
- Trip (2017) > watch film
- Levitation (2014) > watch film
- Why Elephants? (2012) > watch film
- No sleep Won't Kill You (2010) > watch film
- Note (2008) > watch trailer
- Silencium (2006) > watch film
- Gipsy Song (2004) > watch film
vimeo.com/markomestrovic
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How 2025. Croatia, 8:47 min
Synopsis:
Through the opening between reality and subtle poetic forms,
surreal scenes and thrilling paradoxes reveal endless loops of existence.
Direction, screenplay, animation,
editing: Marko Mestrovic
Sound design and mix: Hrvoje Nikšić
Music used: Berliner Philharmoniker & Claudio Abbado, Mozart: Requiem in D minor: Lacrimosa
Producer: Igor Grubić
Executive producer: Martina Meštrović, Marijana Veljović
Production: Kreativni Sindikat 2025
Distribution: BonoboStudio
awards:
⁃ Special Award, Animafest Zagreb 2025
⁃ Best Balkan Film, Anibar International Animation Festival 2025
⁃ Special Mention, Supertoon International Animation Festival 2025
⁃ Best Experimental Film, Animaphix New Contemporary Languages Film Festival 2025
⁃ Special Mention, Flipbook Film Festival 2025
- Special Mention, Primanima World Festival of First Animations 2025
back
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The Raft (2021) Croatia, 13:46 min
Synopsis:
If a global catastrophe is a state of mind, then music is the raft.
The water reached up to our necks, and very soon, over our heads.
The mountains became islands and the islands became hills in the darkness of the deep.
The palms became sea anemones and the sea anemones remained what they were.
The Wall Street was still full of sharks. Venice floated a while longer, and then…
Credits:
directing, story, drawing: Marko Meštrović
music: Cinkuši
animation: David Lovrić, Marko Meštrović
script: Božidar Trkulja, Marko Meštrović
editing: Iva Kraljević, Marko Meštrović
sound design: Marko First
coloring: Martina Meštrović
in-betweens: Draško Ivezić
postproduction: Iva Kraljević, Ivan Ladović
sound mix: Ivan Zelić
live set crew:
director of photography: Darko Drinovac
camera assistant: Tomica Mladić
light design: Zlatko Gregorevčić
scenography: Laktašić
voices, instruments, original score:
Grba violin Igor Barić
Lena mandoline Nataša Radušić
Medved double bass Tihomir Kruhonja
Satara guitar Mirko Radušić
Beli el. guitar Nebojša Stijačić
Silente drums Marko Meštrović
violin Marko First
trombon trombone Nikola Santro
harp Krešo Oremuš
TV speaker: Ivi First
scientist 1: Boris Greiner
scientist 2: Stanislav Habjan
korišteni glazbeni materijali / music used
NENADEJANO BOGČIJE ZVELIČENJE (LIVE) - (Cinkuši / M.Krleža / Cinkuši)
Uživancija! Croatia Records - 2011
DIE KUH IM NUSSBAUM ( Cinkuši / Miroslav Krleža, preveo: Boris Perić / Cinkuši )
Krava na orehu Croatia Records - 2017
executive producers: Mia Bučević, Sara Jakupec, Marijana Veljović
producent / producer: Igor Grubić
film is co-financed by Croatian Audiovisual Centar (artistic advisor: Boško Picula ),
City of Zagreb/ City Office for Culture
posebna zahvala / special thanks
“Divlji sanjač ” 1994. (Greiner, Habjan, Žeželj), Ana Marija Habjan
Marta Užarević
Mladen Đukić, Aeon Production
Adriatic Animation
CEE Animation Forum 2019
Blender
production: Kreativni sindikat 2021
Distribution: BonoboStudio
awards:
- GrandPrix, Supertoon International Animation and Comics Festival 2021
- Oktavijan Award For Best Croatian Animated Film (Croatian Society of Film Critics)
back
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Trip 2017. Croatia, 10:40 min
Synopsis:
A film beyond the eyelids. In one word: a trip.
Direction, screenplay, animation,
camera, editing: Marko Mestrovic
Animation: Marko Mestrovic
Voice, sax, sound recording: Brian Ewan
Sound design: Boris Wagner
Producer: Igor Grubić
Executive producer: Marta Užarević
Production: Kreativni sindikat 2017
Distribution: BonoboStudio
back
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Levitation 2012. Croatia, 8:07 min
Synopsis:
What is this force that defies gravity, a force so powerful
that drives plants to reach up and imbues us with the strength to sail against the current?
If we let go to its upward motion, it carries us to a wonderful ease.
Raise your sail and catch the leeway…
Direction, screenplay, animation,
camera, editing: Marko Mestrovic
Animation: Marko Mestrovic
Music: Natko Stipanicev
Sound design: Boris Wagner & Natko Stipanicev
3d : Martina Mestrovic
Producers: Igor Grubic
Production: Kreativni sindikat 2014
Distribution: BonoboStudio
awards:
- Best Animated Film, Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival 2015
- Best Animation, Kratki na brzinu - Revue of Croatian Short Films2015
- Best Graphic Design, Kratki na brzinu - Revue of Croatian Short Films 2015
- Best Original Music, Kratki na brzinu - Revue of Croatian Short Films 2015
- Special Mention, Supertoon International Animation Festival 2015
- Award for creativity and artistic expression,International Animated Film Festival
Banja Luka 2015
- Best International Short Film, St. Louis International Film Festival 2015
back
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Why Elephants? 2012. Croatia, 8 min
Synopsis:
Do we have answers on questions that determines our lives at all?
Direction, screenplay, animation,
camera, editing: Marko Mestrovic
Animation: Sinisa Mataic, Marko Mestrovic
Sound design: Boris Wagner
Post- production: Dino Krpan
Producers: Igor Grubic, Vinko Bresan
Production: Kreativni sindikat, Zagreb-film 2012
awards:
- Festival Of Croatian Animated Films - Asifa, Zagreb, Croatia
Best animation
back
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No Sleep Won't Kill You 2010. Croatia, 9 min
Synopsis:
What happens when the dream takes control over reality?
Direction, screenplay, animation,
camera, editing: marko mestrovic
Music : jessica lurie, abraham gomez-delgado
Sound design: boris wagner
3d : martina mestrovic
Production: kreativni sindikat & zagreb film
Distribution : zagreb film
awards:
- 19. DAYS OF CROATIAN FILM, Zagreb, Croatia 2010.
-BEST EDITING
- 8. Tabor film festival, Zabok, Croatia 2010
-SPETIAL MENTION OF JURY
- 17. Sarajevo film festival , Sarajevo, B&H, 2010
-SPETIAL MENTION OF JURY
- 3. Fest Anca International animation festival, Bratislava,Slovak Republicv2010
-SPETIAL MENTION OF JURY
- I'VE SEEN FILMS 2010 Milan, Italy
-BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
- 7. BALKANIMA 2010 Europian animated film festival, Belgrade, Srbija
-BEST SOUTH-EAST EUROPEAN FILM
- 28. Festival Tous Courts Aix-en-Provence International Film Festival, Frence
-PRIX RTP2 ONDA CURTA
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NOTE 2008. Croatia, 3D animation, B&W, 13 min
Synopsis:
Three diffferent stories about a relationship between a father and son,
taking place in different social milieux.
Direction, screenplay, animation,
camera, editing: marko mestrovic
Music : boris wagner
3d modeling : marko mestrovic, martina mestrovic
Production: kreativni sindikat
Distribution : zagreb film
awards:
- Animateka 08,International Festival For Animated films, ljubljana, slovenia,
SPETIAL MENTION OF JURY
- FICAM 09,International Festival For Animated films, mekanes, maroko,
GRAND PRIX
- banja luka international festival for animated films,b&h,
FOR KREATIVITY AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION
- International Festival For Animated films xiamen, china,
The nomination Award of The best experimental films
back
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SILENIUM - 2006. Croatia, 3D animation, B&W, 10 min
Synopsis:
The subject of this film is freedom and based on Miroslav Krleza's "The Ballads of Petrica Kerempuh",
on of the capital work of Croatian literature. The story of the film is very close to contemporary man,
in this time of social disintegration, especially in countries in transition.
Direction, screenplay, animation, camera, editing: marko mestrovic & davor medjurecan
text : miroslv krleza "balade petrice kerempuha 1935"
Music : boris wagner & CINKUSI
3d modeling : martina mestrovic
Production: kreativni sindikat, zagreb film
Distribution : zagreb film
nagrade:
- LUCANIA FILM FESTIVAL, Pisticci, Italy 2006.
BEST TECHNIQUE
- ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival, Berlin, Germany 2008
THE AUDIENCE PRIZE
- DAYS OF CROATIAN ANIMATION - ASIFA Zagreb, Hrvatska
FIRST PRIZE
back
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GIPSY SONG - 2004. Croatia, 3D animation, B&W, 9 min
Synopsis:
A film inspired by the dark ballad Ciganjska (1936), from the book
Petrica Kerempuhs ballads written by famous Croatian writer and playwriter Miroslav Krleza.
Characters anxious inner worlds are brought to us in poetic way, evocative of German expressionism,
and by engaged questionning about the future of an alienated and autodestructive civilisation.
Direction, screenplay, animation, camera, editing: marko mestrovic & davor medjurecan
text : miroslv krleza "balade petrice kerempuha 1935"
Music : CINKUSI
Sound design: boris wagner
3d modeling : martina mestrovic
Production: kreativni sindikat
nagrade:
- 13. DAYS OF CROATIAN FILM, Zagreb, Hrvatska 2004.
-OKTAVIAN PRIZE FOR BEST ANIMATED FILM
-BEST MUSIC
-BEST EDITING
-ANIMAFEST 2004 Zagreb, Hrvatska
SPETIAL MENTION OF JURY
- EBENSEE FESTIVAL 2004 Linz, Austrija
BRONZE BEAR
-UNICA 2004 Veitshochheim, Njemacka
3. PRIZE
-BALKANIMA 2004 Beograd, Jugoslavija
SPETIAL MENTION OF JURY FOR POETRY AND ATMOSPHERE
-INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR FILM AND VIDEO 2005" Dugo Selo, Hrvatska
BEST ANIMATED FILM
BEST MUSIC IN AMIMATED FILM
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