The Staffroom/Zbornica (Croatia, 2021) + Samizdat Closing Night

Samizdat Eastern European Film Festival is proud to present the UK premiere of The Staffroom (Zbornica) as the closing screening of its inaugural edition in 2022. Croatian writer/director Sonja Tarokić's first feature film, The Staffroom is a brilliantly shot and fantastically acted work. Earlier last year, it has been featured in the line-up of the Karlovy Vary 2021 Crystal Globe Competition.

Anamarija starts a new job as a counsellor at a secondary school -- a place full of petty conflicts and cliques among the teaching staff -- and is immediately required to deal with several interlocked conflicts and PR nightmares. Initially, she tries to stay out of the power struggles of the headmistress, the teachers, and the parents, and dedicate her time to the children. But as she grows more familiar with the system, Anamarija begins taking charge in the staffroom.

Samizdat is supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, and funded by Screen Scotland and National Lottery funding from the BFI. It is jointly funded by the European Cultural Foundation (Culture of Solidarity Fund — Ukraine Special Edition).

Accessibility

Financial support to attend the festival is available to eligible applicants via Samizdat's Access Fund.

Content Notes: Depictions of bullying, harassment, sexism, alcoholism, and mild violence.

Access Notes: Bright colours and images, loud sounds (music and vocals from the soundtrack).