Founded in 1999 in the stunning Croatian hilltop town of Motovun, this festival is dedicated to celebrating independent, alternative, and art-house cinema. It has become one of Croatia’s most beloved film festivals, attracting filmmakers and cinephiles alike. The festival features a mix of international and regional films, often showcasing new works that challenge mainstream cinema. 

For 25 years, the Motovun Film Festival thrived in that medieval town that gave it's name. However, Motovun is now too small to accommodate everyone, recently they moved to Gorski Kotar, becoming Cinehill.

The festival remains placing a strong emphasis on cultural diversity and inclusion, offering a platform for voices that are often underrepresented in traditional cinema. 

The festival is one of the founding members of the Young Programmers for Young Audiences! European Film Festival Network (Young4Film), it has played a key role in promoting the collaborative model of involving young people in film programming. Through the adoption of the Moving Cinema methodology, Cinehill offers young programmers the chance to actively participate in shaping the festival’s lineup.