The short documentary-animated film pays tribute to the Croatian police officers, National Guard members, and Civil Protection personnel who lost their lives in Dalj on August 1, 1991.
On Thursday evening, July 31, 2026, the short documentary-animated film "Mupovci Dalj" premiered in Osijek, dedicated to the memory of the 39 Croatian defenders killed in Dalj on this day in 1991. The screening, held ahead of the central commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the tragedy, brought together the state leadership, veterans, and numerous citizens, as reported by HRT.
According to data cited by HRT, on that August 1, 1991, in Dalj, 20 Croatian police officers, 15 members of the National Guard Corps, and four Civil Protection members were killed. The film is therefore not just a work of art but also a lasting memorial to their sacrifice.
As part of the pre-premiere program, a parade of 39 motorcyclists was organized, each carrying the flag of one of the fallen. The column brought the flags to the plateau in front of Osijek's IT Park, where they were ceremonially received by police officers, Armed Forces personnel, and Civil Protection members, HRT reports.
The film's screenwriter, Marijan Gubina, author of the novel "260 Days," which has already been adapted into a feature film of the same name, explained what inspired him to create this work.
Above all, my work was based on the suffering of the Croatian people during the Homeland War, which is connected to August 1, the town of Dalj, and the largest number of killed police officers. At that place, 39 young men gave their lives for the defense of the homeland, and over the past 35 years, it was lacking that we thank them once more and pay tribute, Gubina stated for HRT.
The premiere was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović, who emphasized the crucial role of the police in defending the country in 1991.
They took on the burden of those who wanted to prevent Croats from creating their own state. Of course, they did not succeed, Božinović said, as reported by HRT.
The film "Mupovci Dalj" was directed by Milo Ostović, and as reported by the portal Stijena.info, the gathering at the premiere showed that the memory of the fallen police officers still lives on strongly, and the film itself gains additional importance as a document of the times and a means of preserving the names of people whose sacrifice is embedded in the foundations of modern Croatia.
The central commemoration of the Dalj tragedy will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 9 a.m. in front of the Dalj Police Station. On that occasion, wreaths will be laid and candles lit at the memorial site in honor of all those who perished.
