Pelican | TAIFAS

Directed by Filip Heraković

Starring: Edi Ćelić, Lucija Barisic, Ivan Glowatzky, Marko Petric, Tena Nemet Brankov

Drama - Croatia, Portugal - 2022 - 1h27min

Spoken in Croatian, Italian, subtitled in English and Romanian

A spa resort way past its finest years, people so relaxed they are on the verge of dying, and one goalkeeper trying to find salvation in a vacuum. Vacuum cleaner, that is. 

Josip is a professional football player recovering at a health spa from a knee injury seriously threatening his career. Between sessions with his self-absorbed physiotherapist and visits by his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend and former best friend, it becomes clear that he needs to rediscover himself. To be happy with who he is, he first must get out of his own skin. When he accidentally discovers a sales conference at the spa and gets mistakenly identified as Branimir, a sales rep who never showed up, Josip decides to play along. He embraces his new identity and explores life from a new perspective on a quest to find his true self. But when he steps out of his own mind, many lines begin to blur.

"This debut is the dryly humorous study of a man in the throes of an existential crisis. Extremely well handled by director Filip Herakovic, who also co-writes the film. (...) The themes and setting are reminiscent of <<Lost In Translation>> and <<Lourdes>>, but <<Pelikan>> counterbalances the moments of humor with a deep sadness" (Wendy Ide, Screen Daily).

Festivals: Tallin Black Nights (Special Jury Prize for Debut and Special Jury Prize for Directing).

Screening followed by a QA with director Filip Herakovic

The project is part of the national cultural programme "Timișoara – European Capital of Culture in 2023" and is funded through the European Echoes Timișoara 2023 programme, implemented by the Center for Projects Timișoara, with funds allocated from the state budget, through the budget of the Ministry of Culture.

Organised in partnership with the Municipality of Timișoara through the Project Centre.

Part of

TAIFAS I Balkan Film and Culture Festival

TAIFAS I Balkan Film and Culture Festival