The festival will run through 24 July and Croatian Programme includes 10 films, while International Programme has 11 films.
President Milanović said that "this is a Croatian film festival."
"We are a small, open country and a small nation and we cannot but look towards the world. It is not good for us to be introverted," Milanović said praising the inclusion of international filmmakers and Oscar winners in the festival's jury for years.
The opening ceremony was also addressed by Culture Minister Nona Obuljen Koržinek and Pula Mayor Filip Zoričić.