Sandbag Dam

by Čejen Černić Čanak

Zajčji nasip, orig. Zečji nasip, 2025, fiction, co-production, digital DCP, 1,85:1, c, 88 min
Finished

HR, LT, SI

In a flood-threatened village, Marko's life is turned upside down when Slaven returns for his father's funeral and rekindles their forbidden romance. Marko must confront his family and make a difficult choice.

screenwriter
Tomislav Zajec
co-writer
Čejen Černić Čanak
script consultants
Mislav Brumec, Jacques Akchoti
director
Čejen Černić Čanak
producers
Ankica Jurić Tilić, Hrvoje Pervan, Dragan Jurić
co-producers
Ieva Norvilienė, Aleš Pavlin, Andrej Štritof
associate producers
Marija Stojanović, Milan Stojanović, Marija Dimitrova, Maja Popović Milojević
director of photography
Marko Brdar
music composer
Domas Strupinskas
film editor
Slaven Zečević
production designer
Tajana Čanić Stanković
costume designer
Selena Orb
key make-up artist
Matea Katunar
hair designer
Tamara Radinger
sound designer
Julij Zornik

featuring
Lav Novosel, Andrija Žunac, Leon Grgić, Franka Mikolaci, Tanja Smoje, Alma Prica, Filip Šovagović, Luka Baškarad, Radoslava Mrkšić, Marica Vidušić, Pan Jelić, Margarita Belan, Lana Hranjec, Gregor Birkić, Dino Nikolić, Ana Ugrina, Katja Galunić, Andrej Švaco, Ivan Grčić, Alan Katić, Mario Knezović, Darko Plovanić, Matej Čatarić, Kristian Bonačić, Goran Gorički, Krešimir Brezovec, Dubravka Kos, Marijan Mioković, Marijan Pušić, Roman Kodba, Željko Tomac, Tea Rapaić

production
Kinorama
co-production
Tremora, Perfo
in collaboration with
Film Studio Viba Film
co-funding
Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Lithuanian Film Centre, Slovenian Film Centre, Creative Europe - MEDIA, Croatian Radiotelevision
distribution
Duplicato Media, The Open Reel

Perfo
Aleš Pavlin
ales.pavlin@perfo.si

“This is a story about gay love but also about any kind of misunderstood, condemned, ostracised love. I wanted to build the emotion by staying close to my characters, two very young man who because of their relationship feel family rejection, social condemnation and even existential thread. The external circumstances such as the flood that threatens the village are used as metaphorical image of the tightening of the hoop around them, but also as a metaphor of the society that keeps neglecting and ignoring problems, instead of facing them and moving forward. Being different, which in our story translates to being gay, is condemned without a second thought. Without trying to understand, acknowledge, or tolerate. This is why I find this subject very important and I hope I managed to film an emotional story that will reach and teach the hearts and minds of wider audiences.”