Drevo

One story, three angles. In three chapters, the film's plot is told through the eyes of two brothers and their mother Milena as we witness a tragic situation which befalls the family as the result of an accident. The two sons, adolescent Alek and his younger sibling Veli, are unable to leave their house, the only place where they feel safe. After a period of time, however, their refuge becomes a prison for the boys.... Debut director and screenwriter Sonja Prosenc deftly breathes life into an original concept which helps her keep the viewer in a constant state of tension. The lead-up to the family tragedy gradually unfolds as an intimate drama conveyed via a nonlinear narrative; emphasis is placed on creating an increasingly dense atmosphere as the story develops. The impact of the film is heightened by the striking, in places almost claustrophobic, images created by cameraman Mitja Ličen, who also co-scripted the film. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)