09-07-2025

PRODUCTION: Slovenian Director Darko Sinko Starts Shooting Bittersweet Coming-of-age Comedy

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    Director Darko Sinko on the set of Confirmation Director Darko Sinko on the set of Confirmation coypright: Mitja Mlakar

    LJUBLJANA: Slovenian director Darko Sinko started shooting his sophomore feature Confirmation / Birma, a Slovenian production built up by December and supported by the Slovenian Film Centre, among others.

    In a small Slovenian countryside village, everyone is preparing for the upcoming confirmation especially the teenagers including best friends Mate, Peter and Gaber. Due to heavy rains, a landslide destroys the road leading to the church. In order not to cancel the confirmation, the villagers decide to try to repair the road themselves. But the preparations for the ceremony are not only marked by a natural disaster as, under the church organ, the villagers discover a stash of weed.

    The screenplay is written by the director himself together with the Romanian scriptwriter Andreea Vălean.

    The main child and teen roles are played by Martin Kelc, Leo Stopajnik, Petja Hajdinjak, Ajda Mihajlović and Tai Fištravec, alongside recognised actors as Timon Šturbej, Maruša Majer, Vojko Belšak and Mojca Partljič. They are joined by a group of local residents.

     “Confirmation wants to be a visually rich, fast-paced film with numerous vivid characters and intense happening. It tends to be a communicative film that is entertaining and moving at the same time,” says director Darko Sinko.

    Vlado Bulajić and Lija Pogačnik are producing the film through December in coproduction with RTV Slovenija. The film is supported by the Slovenian Film Centre and MEDIA Creative Europe, with technical support provided by FS Viba.

    “The budget is estimated at 1.15 m EUR,” producer Vlado Bulajić told FNE, pointing out that all the crew was extremely positively surprised by the response and warm welcome of the locals.

    The 33-days shooting started on 1 July 2025 and is scheduled until 15 August 2025. It is taking place in the region Haloze, as well as in Ljubljana.

    The film is expected to be finished in the summer - autumn of 2026.

    Darko Sinko graduated in communication from the Faculty of Social Sciences and in film direction from the AGRFT. He has mostly been making documentaries, later focusing on live-action films, screenwriting and producing documentaries. In 2021 he won the Vesna award for his debut feature Inventory, also produced by December.

    Production Information:

    Confirmation by Darko Sinko shooting, coypright: Mitja MlakarProducer:
    December (Slovenia)
    Vlado Bulajić: vlado@decemberfilm.si

    Coproducers:
    RTV Slovenija (Slovenia)

    Credits:
    Director: Darko Sinko
    Screenwriters: Darko Sinko, Andreea Vălean
    DoP: Urh Pirc
    Composer: Matija Krečič
    Production designer: Neža Zinajić
    Make-up artist: Lija Ivančič
    Costume designer: Urška Recer
    Editor: Matic Drakulić
    Cast: Martin Kelc, Leo Stopajnik, Petja Hajdinjak, Ajda Mihajlović, Tai Fištravec, Anica Črnivec, Marjan Prešnički, Izidor Gnilšek, Sandra Vidovič Mlakar, Timon Šturbej, Maruša Majer, Miki Roš, Vojko Belšak, Uroš Nikolić, Luka Martin Škof, Mojca Partljič, NešoTokalič