THE UNCLE
A film by David Kapac and Andrija Mardešić.
Yugoslavia, late 1980s. Parents and son are hastily making the final preparations for Christmas Eve dinner. Their beloved uncle from Germany will be parking his Mercedes in front of the house any moment now and everything has to be ready. But, hang on, are things really as they seem?
Status: Completed
Year: 2022
Genre: Thriller
Country: Croatia, Serbia
Language: Croatian
Available subtitles: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch
Runtime: 104 min
Original title: Stric
David Kapac is a Croatian screenwriter, director, and creative producer. He started his career with student short films, all regularly screened at festivals in Croatia and abroad, including his graduation film, the medium-length horror film Zagorje Specialty, co-produced with the national broadcaster HRT and premiered at the Pula Film Festival in 2011. After graduating, David focuses on working in television, achieving seven-figures viewership in Croatia and the Region for the shows he ran either as director or creative producer. In 2017 he returned to film, co-writing the screenplay for a short film Party which represented Croatia in 2018 as part of the project ‘Drama for Children’ of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The Uncle is his debut feature. David is developing several projects, including the next feature film with Andrija Mardešić.
Andrija Mardešić is a Croatian film and TV author. He has successfully directed projects in various genres: experimental and music videos, documentaries, and promos. Still, Andrija’s focus is cinema where he proved himself with a series of short films. Iris (2009), Two All Alone (2015) and Steppe Fox (2019) stood out at festivals in Croatia and abroad. With Hana Jušić and Dario Juričan, he directed the omnibus Short Circuits for Croatian national broadcaster HRT in 2013. As a screenwriter, Andrija co-wrote the medium-length horror film Zagorje Specialty (directed by David Kapac) and the short children’s drama Party, which he co-wrote with David Kapac for HRT and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Andrija also works as a storyliner on the biggest TV projects in Croatia and he directed a TV drama #Don’t Tell Anyone for HRT. The Uncle is his debut feature. Andrija is developing several projects, including the next feature film with David Kapac.
FILMOGRAPHY
2022 The Uncle (104′)
CAST
Predrag Miki Manojlović
Ivana Roščić
Goran Bogdan
Roko Sikavica
Kaja Šišmanović
CREW
Director: David Kapac, Andrija Mardešić
Screenplay: David Kapac, Andrija Mardešić
Cinematography: Miloš Jaćimović
Editing: Tomislav Stojanović
Sound: Frano Homen
Music: Miro Manojlović
Executive producers: Ivan Kelava, Tomo Vujić, Milan Stojanović
Production Company: Eclectica, Sense
2022
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – Proxima Competition · Jury Special Mention
Pula Film Festival · Best Screenplay · Best Costume Design
European Film Festival Palić
Trebinje Film Festival
Dunav Film Fest
Manaki Brothers Film Festival
Herceg Novi – Montenegro Film Festival · Best Film · Best Actor · “Zoran Živković” Special Award
LIFFE – Leskovački Internacionalni Festival Filmske Režije
Filmski Festival Obnova
Vancouver International Film Festival
Santiago Horror Film Festival · Best Feature Film · Best Performance (Ivana Roščić)
CinEast | Central and Eastern European Film Festival · Young Talent Award
Bergen International Film Festival
Zagreb Film Festival
Leeds International Film Festival
Thessaloniki International Film Festival
Braunschweig International Film Festival · Volkswagen Financial Services Award (Best European Debut)
FilmFestival Cottbus
Exground Filmfest
European Film Forum Scanorama
Rome Independent Film Festival
Eastern Neighbours Film Festival
Cinemamed | Brussels Mediterranean Film Festival
2023
Fantastic Film Festival Australia
Fantaspoa – International Fantastic Film Festival of Porto Alegre · Best Screenplay
GoEast Filmfestival
Mastercard OFF CAMERA | All in the family
FICG Guadalajara | International Panorama
Sopot Film Festival | New Visions Competition
Transilvania IFF | Competition
Santiago del Estero Film Fest
Québec City Film Festival
Fantastic Fest | Next Wave Competition · Best Directors
Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival | Crossovers Competition
Sitges Film Festival | Noves Visions · Best Direction
Razor Reel Flanders Film Fest | Fantastic Scope
Fancine – The Fantastic Film Festival of the University of Málaga
Eastern European Film Days Dresden
BalCan Crossover Festival
2024
Sombra European Fantastic Film Festival | Official Selection · Best Film · Best Direction · Best Actress · Best Cinematography
Bilbao Fantasy Film Festival | Official Section
Atlantida Film Fest | Domestic
A cross between Michael Haneke’s ‘Funny Games’ and Yorgos Lanthimos’s ‘Dogtooth’.
Neil Young, Screen Daily
It’ll surely surprise international audiences. ‘The Uncle’ is something that will not be easily forgotten.
Marko Stojiljković, Cineuropa