ABOUT
MIRELA BUDIMIĆ
IMAGE, FILM & SPACE
I am a film colorist, restoration specialist and cinema designer working at the intersection of image, technology and space.
I graduated in architecture from the University of Zagreb in 1998 and joined Ater Studio the same year, beginning in editing and compositing before specializing in color grading and digital film restoration. As Head of Restoration at Ater Studio, I have led projects presented at Cannes Classics, Venice Classics and Il Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna, working on films by some of the most significant Croatian and regional directors.
My background in architecture and post-production allows me to approach the image, the technology and the space in which it is viewed as parts of the same system.
WHY WORK WITH ME
My advantage is the ability to connect disciplines that are usually handled separately.
I understand the film image from the perspective of a colorist and restoration specialist, the room from the perspective of an architect, and the technical system from the perspective of someone who has spent decades working with professional post-production and cinema technology.
This means I can communicate with both creative and technical teams, understand how decisions in one part of a project affect another, and identify potential problems before they become expensive mistakes.
Whether the project is the restoration of a film, the design of a new cinema, the modernization of an existing facility or the development of a professional workflow, my role is to create a solution that is technically precise, visually reliable, practical to operate and appropriate to the work for which it was built.
FILM RESTORATION & COLOR
I specialize in digital film restoration and color grading, with a strong focus on preserving the original photochemical character of film while translating it into contemporary digital workflows.
My work covers the complete image process, from evaluation of archival materials, scanning and restoration strategy to color management, grading, final QC and cinema validation. I work across archival formats, Cineon Log, ACES and modern color pipelines, with particular attention to tonal integrity, grain structure, texture and the photographic qualities of the original material.
For archives, cinematheques, producers and rights holders, I can help determine not only how a film should be restored, but which materials, workflow and technical decisions will produce the most faithful result.
