ABOUT THE FILM
Based on a novel inspired by the true story of Marijan Gubina, the film follows ten-year-old Marijan and his family, whose peaceful and idyllic life is suddenly shattered by the Croatian War of Independence. The conflict devastates their small town of Dalj, and the family experiences a profound betrayal by their closest friends and neighbors.
After 260 days of captivity and unimaginable violence, the family is forced to make courageous choices in their struggle for freedom, putting their courage and resilience to the ultimate test.
Years later, a man walks into Marijan’s shop, bringing back all the memories he had tried to forget and forcing him to relive them once again. Despite the immense suffering he has endured, Marijan chooses to live with forgiveness, always looking toward a positive future rather than returning to—and remaining trapped in—the past.
Recommended age: 12+ (the film is intended for viewers aged 12 and over).
MARIJAN
GUBINA
“We who survived the camps remember our brothers and sisters and the sad, tormented children. We remember the unfortunate events in which they were deprived of everything: freedom, dignity, security, loved ones, and ultimately life. We who survived daily resist the burden of captivity that we carry on our shoulders, and too often and too quietly we hear that one of ours succumbed to its consequences. For them, for us, for our children and future generations, we must persevere so that they are not forgotten. Memories and freedom remain to us survivors, the freedom to choose our own path. I, a former prisoner, have chosen the path of forgiveness, non-judgment, non-hatred; I send a message of peace and pray for them. I urge you to strive to do the same.”
PRODUCTION:
