QUIT STARING AT MY PLATE / NE GLEDAJ MI U PIJAT

Marijana’s life revolves around her family, whether she likes it or not. They live on top of one another in a tiny apartment, driving one another crazy. Then her controlling father has a stroke and is left completely bedridden, and Marijana takes his place as head of the clan. Soon, she is working two jobs to keep everything afloat, while her mother and disabled brother do their best to scupper the ship. Driven to the edge, Marijana finds comfort in seedy sex with random strangers; and this taste of freedom leaves her wanting more. But now that she has finally found freedom, what’s she meant to do with it?

“I ventured into this story for two different but complementary reasons. I’ve always liked uncommunicative, resourceful and somewhat androgynous female characters – something like female versions of Clint Eastwood – and I wanted to make a film with this kind of protagonist; a woman who seems cold and weak, but is actually passionate, explosive, brave, and even a bit rough. Then I took this woman and placed her in an environment with which I’m familiar, the environment I wanted to show and was confident I could show well. The other members of her family are characters that I find cinematically fascinating; they are composites, based on people I’m close to. The story then evolved from the characters, their interactions and their suffocating environment.“

Hana Jušić