Goran (Franjo Dijak) has one hell of a birthday party thanks to rajkiya (Croatian fire water), cocaine, and video tapes.
He lives a simple life, but his carefree existence is put to an end when his beautiful wife Lina (Natasa Janjic) announces she is expecting a child. Celebration of the good news seems to cheer everyone except Goran, who knows something that causes it have a darker impact. Lina’s brother Niko (Janko Popovic Volaric) has his own problems, and her widowed father wants Goran to come work for him and fill the traditional role. Each member of the family has an agenda, and along with the interference of two outsiders, a simple situation rapidly becomes incredibly complex.
“… darkly humorous, extremely violent drama about passions run amok in the Croatian highland winter…”
Goran just wants to drive his taxi and take care of Lina, who is blind. In the idyllic surroundings of snow-covered Gorski Kotar mountain region, the fiery personalities of the highlanders surface and collide.
Goran is a tight, darkly humorous, extremely violent drama about passions run amok in the Croatian highland winter when a birthday party goes horribly awry.
Snow scenes in the mountains are beautiful, complete with convivial gatherings around the fire, but the fun really starts when hygge turns to horrified surprise. The filmmaker has made being blind an advantage: there are things you are better off not seeing. Director Nevio Marasovic excels in every aspect of storytelling and cinema with this fantastic indie film.
Goran (2016). Directed by Nevio Marasovic. Written by Gjermund Gisvold. Starring Franjo Dijak, Natasa Janjic, Janko Popovic Volaric.
8 out of 10
