Vladimir Skate Film Festival 2015 recap

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Skateboarding’s global presence is getting bigger and bigger and with that, it’s becoming more mainstream. All too often we see skateboarding and skateboards on TV, in retail fashion advertisements, and even under the arms of famous musicians. This is often the first introduction people have to skateboarding. It’s no wonder that thousands of kids worldwide name Street League stars Nyjah Huston and Ryan Sheckler as their favourite skaters. But there is an entirely different side of skateboarding that doesn’t receive much media attention at all… It’s difficult to define, I don’t necessarily want to call it “underground skateboarding’, but let’s just say you won’t see any skaters kickflipping off roofs wearing energy drink hats in HD super slow-mo. The former type of skateboarding is exactly what festival founder Nikola Racan is trying to promote at Croatia’s Vladimir Skate Film Festival.

Day one of the fifth annual Vladimir Skate Film Festival was in Fažana, Croatia where the festival goers got to see Alex Rose’s Headcleaner  screened along with Tomaž Šantl’s Original Copy, Kickflips over occupation by Maen Hammad, a photo exhibition by Aymeric Nocus and a new edit from Budapest’s infamous Rios Crew.

Day two, in Pula, there was a photo exhibition at the Kino Valli theatre featuring photos by Grey Skate Magazine’s Henry Kingsford, Push Periodical’s Richard Hart, Live’s Benjamin Deberdt, Yoan Taillandier and Alexandre “Bruno” Pires. At Kino Valli theatre Danger Dave (about Belgian skater David Martelleur) was shown with a special intro by director Philippe Petit.

After a bit of drunken downhill bombing the festival moved to the Galerija Cvajner nearby for the European premier of Josh Roberts’ Domingo 2. Post Domingo turned into a dance party and a drunken board focussing party. It was a great weekend of events in Pula and Fažana at Vladimir 2015 and next year will surely be even better! Thank you Nikola Racan, Elvis Butkovic, Oleg Morovic, Marko Zubak, Tomaz Santl and everyone involved in the 2015 Vladimir Skate Film Festival. See you next year! -Will Harmon

Photos by Tomaz Santl and Will Harmon

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Aymeric Nocus

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Nikola Racan and Elvis Butkovic

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Day one in Fažana. Ph. Tomaz Santl

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Nikola Racan opens the show. Ph. Tomaz Santl

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The Crowd in Fažana enjoys The new Rios Crew edit. Ph. Tomaz Santl

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Day two: Zoe Milos backside powersliding in Pula.

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Aymeric Nocus and Bence Balint in Pula. Ph. Tomaz Santl

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The Rijeka guys in Pula. Ph. Tomaz Santl

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Bence Kakai and Bence Balint of the Rios Crew in Pula. Ph. Tomaz Santl

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Luka Serjak in Pula. Ph. Tomaz Santl

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Yoan Taillandier at the Kino Valli theatre exhibition.

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Richard Hart

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Marko Zubak and Philippe Petit. Ph. Tomaz Santl

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Ph. Tomaz Santl

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Blurry drunken fun

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The Domingo 2 screening at Galerija Cvajner in Pula. Ph. Tomaz Santl

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The Slovenians were out in full force. Ph. Tomaz Santl

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After Domingo 2 the dance party began. Ph. Tomaz Santl

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And it got hot and sweaty… Ph. Tomaz Santl

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Marin Tunjic backflipping the hangover away back in Fažana. Ph. Tomaz Santl