This year’s Green Eye Festival, an innovative programme of the Krka National Park Public Institution combining film art and environmental awareness launched in 2017, will be held in Zagreb under the title “In Search of the Fifth Element”
This year’s Green Eye Festival, an innovative programme of the Krka National Park Public Institution combining film art and environmental awareness launched in 2017, will be held in Zagreb under the title “In Search of the Fifth Element”
The festival, organized by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition and the Public Institute of Krka National Park, will take place from 20 to 22 May 2026 at the Croatian Natural History Museum. It is significant that the festival starts on 20 May, World Bee Day, and ends on 22 May, the International Day for Biological Diversity and Nature Protection Day in the Republic of Croatia.
The Zagreb edition of the Green Eye Festival will, through documentary films, panel discussions and conversations with experts, examine the relationship of man and nature and invite the audience to reflect on the individual and collective responsibility for the environment. This year’s theme of the festival explores the “fifth element” – human awareness and responsibility, a key to preserving the natural balance and ensuring a sustainable future.
Over the course of three days, the programme will focus on pollinators, water and biodiversity – themes that strongly shape both our present and our future. Visitors will be able to watch the documentary films "Once You Know", "Pollinators", "RiverBlue", "Every Little Thing", "Common Ground", "My Garden of a Thousand Bees" and "Green City Life".
A special emphasis will be placed on connecting scientists, institutions, local communities and citizens in a joint action aimed at nature conservation. Experts in environmental protection, biology, sustainable development, education and the media will discuss the challenges of today’s world — from the impacts of climate change and water pollution to the role of pollinators in ensuring food security and preserving ecosystems. The panels will address the role of young people, the media and culture in shaping a more sustainable future and demonstrate examples of good practice and various ways in which citizens can actively participate in nature conservation.
„The Green Eye Festival was created out of a desire to bring the issue of nature protection closer to people in a different, emotional and memorable way — through film and dialogue. We want the festival to remind people that nature is not separate from us, that we are an integral part of it and that our decisions and behaviour determine the future of ecosystems and the quality of life for future generations. We are particularly pleased that this year the festival is coming to Zagreb, allowing us to bring important topics such as pollinator protection and the preservation of water and biodiversity closer to an even wider audience“, said Nella Slavica, Director of the Public Institute of Krka National Park.
„We are pleased that Krka National Park as the initiator of the festival and the Croatian Natural History Museum as its partner in Zagreb have accepted the Ministry’s proposal to present this superior quality festival in a smaller format in our capital. This will give the festival a broader reach, encouraging people, in the very Nature Week, to reflect on biodiversity, the environment and coexistence with nature. The Croatian Natural History Museum is a natural home for such an event. I am confident that the documentary films, topics and discussions announced in the festival programme will leave no one indifferent“, said Aljoša Duplić, Director of the Institute for Environmental and Nature Protection at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition.
The Green Eye Festival is a unique example of a festival initiated by a public institution. From the very beginning it has been recognised as a platform that promotes environmental awareness, sustainability and active citizen participation in nature conservation through audiovisual art and educational contents.
Admission to all films and panel discussions is free, but due to limited seating, prior registration. is required.
Reserve your spot and view the festival programme at this link.