Every summer, for five days in late July, the population of Motovun swells from a few hundred to tens of thousands as the Motovun Film Festival takes over the hilltop. The festival focuses on independent and art-house cinema, screening films on the town square and terraces under the open sky. The atmosphere is informal and convivial — filmmakers and audiences mingle easily in the narrow streets.
Outside festival season, the festival's legacy is visible in the posters and photographs that decorate the town's bars and restaurants. If you are in Istria in late July, getting to Motovun for at least one evening is worth any logistical difficulty. The drive up the hill is one-way during the festival, with shuttle buses operating from car parks below. Book accommodation well in advance.