Regret (Žal)
Relja Noveski (16) is experiencing a loss of a close family member. His grandma has died. Because of the bad relationship she had with her mother, Relja’s mother Olga (46) has no intention of organizing the funeral. When Relja tries to ask the friend he’s been in love with on a date, it turns out that she is very sensitive to the fact that his grandmother has died. In order to win Ana (16) over, he decides to organize the funeral himself even though his relationship with Olga is already burdened by conflict, often because of his younger brother, Filip (9). Olga is rigid, controlling mother who deprives both sons of open emotions and warmth. The three of them live alone, their father abandoned them. Relja hides from Olga the fact that he’s organizing the funeral. Relja is constantly following Ana. He is trying to control her love life with the help of his fiend Ivan (16), who often suffers panic attacks. Noveski has access to something Ivan needs – Xanax, since his mother Olga works in a pharmacy. In exchange for Xanax, Ivan agrees to follow Ana while Relja is busy organizing the funeral. In his overwhelming infatuation with Ana, Noveski is often deceiving and lying, firmly believing in his vision of happiness. Using Ivan’s problem with addiction, he is manipulating Olga, organizing the funeral illegally, pretending to be Ana’s best friend and not having any ulterior motives. However, the mechanism he has triggered will lead to Olga finding forgiveness for her mother at the funeral and allowing herself to show emotion and grief over the loss. She also allows herself to provide the necessary love to Filip. Noveski realizes that he has matured and, seeing Filip in Olga’s arms, he recognizes how much he needed such love when he was his younger brother’s age. But it’s too late for that now. He decides to continue with his current way of being but now fully aware of his actions. He remains focused on the only thing that gives him hope and meaning – his obsessive infatuation.
Director: Kosta Đođević
Producer: Miloš Ivanović
Genre: Feature film
