Morning coffee was a little more interesting for visitors to Pjaceta in Rab’s old town on Sunday, 23 August, as the day brought the first events in this year’s RAFF Talk programme, dedicated to acting, journalism and the real-life experiences behind artistic work.

The first in a series of conversations, titled ‘Bishop Sacrifice’, brought together journalist Elizabeta Gojan and actor Goran Navojec. Among other subjects, they discussed the differences between acting for film and theatre, his early career, his favourite roles, the roles he regrets missing out on, and the ways in which he prepares for new parts.

Navojec also recalled being expelled from an acting group as a child, an experience that nevertheless did not drive him away from acting. The story led the audience to another interesting subject: the actor’s ego, which the host and her guest concluded was no greater than in any other profession. This candid encounter, filled with anecdotes, was only the first in the ‘Bishop Sacrifice’ series, which will take place every morning until the end of the Rab Film Festival.

The second RAFF Talk of the day was the panel discussion ‘Journalism in Artistic Forms’, moderated by RAFF director Robert Tomić Zuber. The participants were Večernji list editor-in-chief and director Dražen Klarić, journalists Silvana Menđušić and Marko Stričević, Faculty of Political Science professor Tena Perišin, and filmmaker and Cinehill Festival director Igor Mirković.

The speakers presented their own film and art projects through which they have expanded their journalistic work. Dražen Klarić spoke about the documentary Vjesnik – The Final Edition, which was due to have its world premiere at RAFF that evening, Sunday, 23 August; Silvana Menđušić discussed her experience of creating documentary projects such as the series The Housing Question, while Marko Stričević spoke about exploring foreign-policy subjects through documentary forms. Tena Perišin shared her experience of working on a documentary film she is currently completing, as well as working with students, while Igor Mirković reflected on his journey from journalism to filmmaking and festival management, first in Motovun and later in Fužine.

They also discussed the challenges they encountered while researching, developing and producing their projects, demonstrating how journalistic methods can be transferred to film and other art forms. The open discussion among experienced professionals and experts offered the audience several perspectives on the state of investigative journalism in Croatia.

This year’s first RAFF Talk events connected acting, journalism and film through personal stories, the exploration of reality and an open discussion about everything that takes place before a work of art reaches its audience.