Andrej is a successful police detective who deals with domestic violence cases on a daily basis. At one of the interventions, he realises that his estranged younger brother Kristian, whom he has not seen for 12 years, is involved in the case as a bully. Because he left home many years ago, leaving Kristian and his mother to his violent father, Andrej feels responsibility and guilt, and he tries to help his brother. But doing that, he becomes dangerously like him, not to mention that he puts his personal life and professional career on the line.
“With this film I want to show realistically the dynamics of relationships between individuals in different periods of life. Especially growing up in families where they were victims of various forms of violence. I wonder if it is possible to break the cycle of violence when it is often passed through generations and when the victim becomes the bully. Despite a heavy story, I strive to create a film that would communicate with the widest possible audience and provide space for discourse on this problematic topic,” says Darko Štante.
The main roles are played by Slovenian actors Jure Henigman, Nejc Cijan Garlatti, Igor Samobor, Lara Vouk, Tamara Auguštin and Nika Rozman. The cast includes famed Croatian actor Goran Bogdan, among others. Czechoslovakian-born Austrian cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger, who has worked with Werner Herzog and Ulrich Seidl, is lensing.
The film is produced by Miha Černec and Nina Robnik through Staragara in coproduction with Boris T. Matić and Lana Matić through Propeler Film (Croatia), Robert Jazadzizki through Kaval Film (North Macedonia) and Konstantino Staurianou through Graal film (Greece). The project is supported by the Slovenian Film Centre, RTV Slovenija, FS Viba Film, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the North Macedonia Film Agency, Creative Europe MEDIA and RE-ACT.
“The script was developed by Darko Štante at the ScripTeast screenwriting workshop and together with the producer Nina Robnik at the EAVE international workshop,” the producers told FNE.
The film is expected to be finished in 2024.
Darko Štante, born in 1975 in Ljubljana, graduated from the Faculty of Social Work and got his master’s degree in film directing at the AGRFT. He worked on a variety of commercial projects as assistant director, and on a series of audiovisual projects as director and screenwriter. His debut feature Consequences (2018, produced by Filmskodruštvo Temporama) premiered at the Toronto IFF and had a successful run at international festivals, received a number of awards, including four Vesna Awards at the Festival of Slovenian Film Portorož in 2018. The film has been distributed in the USA, France, Germany, Taiwan, UK and Canada, and also sold to HBO, Amazon Prime and other VODs. Štante participated in the Berlinale Talents in 2021.
Production Information:
Producer:
Staragara (Slovenia)
Nina Robnik: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Coproducers:
Propeler Film (Croatia)
Kaval Film (North Macedonia)
Graal film (Greece)
Credits:
Director: Darko Štante
Screenwriter: Darko Štante
DoP: Peter Zeitlinger
Production designer: Miha Knific
Make-up artist: Matea Katunar
Costume designer: Nikolina Kostanjšek
Editor: Sara Gjergek
Cast: Jure Henigman, Nejc Cijan Garlatti, Igor Samobor, Lara Vouk, Tamara Avguštin, Goran Bogdan, Svit Šturbej, Nika Rozman, Liam Benjamin Štante, Timon Šturbej, Matej Zemljič
