Before WW I Pogacic studied art history at the University of Philosophy in Zagreb, and after the war at the Film school in Belgrade. From 1945 until 1947, he worked as a dramaturge and director on Radio Zagreb (today Croatian Radio), and before the war directed in theatre (in 1947, he directed Puške gospođe Carrar, the first Brecht’s play produced in Yugoslavia). He made his film directing debut in 1948 with the film Priča o fabrici (The Factory Story). He made several films in Serbian production. Those which stand out include Poslednji dan (The Last Day, 1951), based on Oskar Davičo’s screenplay, Anikina vremena (Legends of Anika, 1954), the first Yugoslav film distributed to the US and based on Ivo Andrić’s short story, Veliki i mali (1956), the first Yugoslav feature film that won an international award (for direction in Karlovy Vary), Subotom uvečer (Saturday Night, 1957), and Sam (Alone, 1959). In Croatian productions, he made Pukotina raja (Heaven Without Love, 1959) and Čovjek sa fotografije (1963), the last film of his career. He directed several documentaries and television films. From 1954 until 1981, he was the director of the Yugoslav cinematheque. Between 1969 and 1971, as well as between 1979 and 1981, he was the vice president of FIAF, and between 1972 and 1979 was its president. While presiding over FIAF, he was also the vice president of the Council for film, radio and television (CICT) with the UNESCO. He taught at the Academy for theatre, film, radio and television in Belgrade, and the chief editor of the influential film magazine Film danas.