The untold story of the wild and loud Halubajski bell-ringers, who, beneath terrifying animal masks, ring their bells fiercely and unwaveringly. This animated documentary unfolds in three tales that guide us from valiant origins to the contemporary era. The initial tale recounts the bell-ringers' inception, when brave sheepherders ingeniously faced the Turks. The sequel is narrated from evil’s viewpoint, recurring as the bell-ringers' adversary through numerous episodes in history. The final chapter, set in the 1950s, depicts the procession's evolution - the bell-ringers' yearly pinnacle - into a folk tradition celebrating their legacy today.
Do you know who the Halubajski Zvončari/Bellringers are? Those who loudly and unwaveringly make noise under terrifying animal masks during the Rijeka Carnival? You’ve likely seen and heard them, and you probably belong to the majority who knows of them but doesn’t know much about them. This is where we come in to tell you their story—the story of the zvončari/bellringers. "Ordinary" residents of Halubje transform into fearsome zvončari during the carnival season, performing folkloric dances and ringing bells as they tour the Kastav region. To this day, they continue to protect their community from all evils that threaten it, while nurturing their cultural heritage. In their honor, the House of the Halubajski Zvončar was established.
The House of the Halubajski Zvončar is envisioned as a multifunctional facility in Viškovo, serving as an exhibition space with a permanent display of the zvončari ethnographic collection, a venue for educational workshops and events, as well as a souvenir shop and restaurant. For the exhibition space of the House of the Halubajski Zvončar, an animated documentary has been created to introduce a wide audience—from the young to the elderly, historians, curious visitors, and animation enthusiasts—to the wondrous world of masks, bells, traditional costumes, sailor shirts, the fight against evil, songs, and dances…
Credits:
Produkcija: Moglo, Kuća halubajskega zvončara
Režija i animacija: Miroslav Brozović
Scenarij: Aleksa Tatalović
Montaža: Marko Knezović, Saša Makšan
Skladba i dizajn zvuka: Tihomir Preradović
Ilustracije: Marko Pinjuh
Stručni suradnici: Lidija Nikočević, Sanjin Vranković
Savjetnik koautorskog tima: Vladimir Končar
Lektura: Marina Frlan Jugo
Prijevod na engleski: Martin Paul Mayhew
Glasovi: narator Josip Krmpotić, pastir Miran Frlan, zlo Kristijan Frlan, dječak Patrik Host, zvončar Matej Arapović, zvončar Damir Host
Suradnja: I to nije sve!, G.I.S., AVC, Eltel
