“Until the Day Ends,” a Serbian protest drama directed by Jelena Maksimović, will have its world premiere in the Horizons section of the 83rd Venice Film Festival on Sept. 10. The film marks a significant milestone for Serbian cinema, as Maksimović becomes the first female director from Serbia to present a narrative feature in the festival’s official selection since Soja Jovanović’s “Eagles Fly Early” in 1966.
The narrative centers on two characters navigating a deeply fractured social landscape. Lena, portrayed by Lena Trifunović, is an anarchist student, while Stefan, played by Andrija Krivokapić, comes from a working-class background with connections to pro-government circles. Despite their opposing positions within their divided society, the characters develop romantic feelings for one another. Their relationship intensifies when a confrontation occurs during protests—a stone is thrown at a police officer, and Stefan fears he may be responsible, prompting the pair to flee Belgrade together and introducing a road-film dimension to the story.
The film’s setting reflects contemporary Serbian social dynamics, drawing context from significant civil unrest in the country. Student protests and widespread demonstrations have intensified in Belgrade and surrounding areas following the collapse of a railway station canopy that resulted in 16 deaths in November 2024. These events form the backdrop against which the film’s emotional and dramatic narrative unfolds.
The production involves several collaborators beyond director Maksimović. The screenplay was co-written by Olga Dimitrijevic and Ivan Salatic. Additional cast members include Irina Hotomski, Stefan Tarabić, and Miodrag Dragičević. Paul Spengemann served as cinematographer, while Jan Klemsche handled editing. International sales are being managed by Heretic.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI