This is a major win for Croatian cinema on the international stage—a prestigious European co-production featuring an award-winning director bringing a beloved author's work to screens worldwide. The involvement of ZDF/Arte and Beta Film signals serious industry confidence in this project.
Sources say the Sarajevo Film Festival award was highly competitive, with multiple projects vying for the Council of Europe Development Award. Kusijanovic's Cannes connections apparently opened doors that might otherwise have stayed closed to a Croatian production of this scale.
The 2025 Council of Europe Series Co-Production Development Award was presented at Sarajevo Film Festival's CineLink Industry Days. The series is a six-hour project based on Jurica Pavičić's novel, co-produced by Beta Film, ZDF/Arte, and Antitalent.
With Cannes pedigree and European broadcast heavyweights backing her vision, Kusijanovic has positioned 'Red Water' as the kind of prestige crime drama that could put Croatian storytelling firmly on the international map—if the end product delivers on this promising foundation.
The Croatian crime drama 'Red Water' is making serious waves in the international production community with a powerhouse co-production deal that brings together ZDF/Arte, Beta Film, and Antitalent. The six-hour series will be directed by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic, whose Cannes credentials clearly opened significant doors for this ambitious project. Kusijanovic isn't just another director looking to break into the international market—she's already proven herself at the highest levels of festival cinema with her acclaimed work.
Her involvement transforms 'Red Water' from a regional production into what industry insiders are calling a potential prestige vehicle for European storytelling. The project's foundation is equally solid: it's based on a novel by Jurica Pavičić, whose work apparently caught the attention of major players in the co-production game. The deal comes fresh off 'Red Water's' win at the 2025 Council of Europe Series Co-Production Development Award, presented during the Sarajevo Film Festival's CineLink Industry Days.
That's not a minor accolade—it's recognition from one of Europe's most respected film industry platforms and signals that the project has already cleared significant hurdles in terms of concept viability and creative merit. Beta Film's involvement is particularly noteworthy. The company has built a reputation for shepherding European content into international markets, and their commitment to 'Red Water' suggests confidence in both the source material and Kusijanovic's vision.
ZDF/Arte brings German-French public broadcaster muscle to the table, which typically means production values and creative latitude that commercial partners might not provide. What remains to be seen is whether a Croatian crime drama can find its audience beyond regional boundaries. Crime narratives have universal appeal, but execution matters—and with Kusijanovic at the helm after her Cannes recognition, expectations are understandably elevated.
Antitalent rounds out the producing trio as the local Croatian partner, ensuring authentic representation of the source material and setting. The international production community will be watching closely as development proceeds.
