Film Under the Stars 2020

From 16 July to 8 August 2020, open-air cinema at the Ljubljana Castle, every day at 21:30.

Dance of Life Ples življenja

Siniša Gačić / Slovenia / 2026 / 74 min / Slovene

In his documentary, Siniša Gačić explores the issue of voluntary euthanasia by telling the story of a couple facing the end of their lives together.

Umrao Jaan Umrao Jaan

Muzaffar Ali / India / 1981 / 145 min / Urdu

This magical Bollywood masterpiece features the legendary Rekha as a famous 19th-century courtesan, and the golden voice of the late singer Asha Bhosle. Spectacular song-and-dance sequences evoke some of the most unforgettable moments in Indian cinematic history. This was the opening film of the first Kino Otok – Isola Cinema Festival in 2004.

Ballaké Sissoko, Kora Tales Ballaké Sissoko, une histoire de Kora

Lucy Durán, Laurent Benhamou / France / 2023 / 53 min / French, Bambara

Malian virtuoso Ballaké Sissoko takes us on a musical journey through Mali, Senegal, and The Gambia to share the story of the kora. This unique West African harp, according to legend, was given to humans by the djinn, spirits of the African savannah.

House with a Voice House with a Voice

Kristine Nrecaj, Birthe Templin / Germany / 2024 / 87 min / Albanian

These are the stories of six Albanian women who have taken on the social role of men and become burneshes for various reasons.

Pillion Pillion

Harry Lighton / United Kingdom / 2025 / 106 min / English

This explicit and raw yet surprisingly tender film challenges our notions of what an ideal relationship should look like. It won the Best Screenplay Award at Cannes.

God Will not Help Bog neće pomoći

Hana Jušić / Croatia, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Romania, France / 2025 / 137 min / Croatian, Spanish

The second feature film from Hana Jušić (Quit Staring at My Plate) is a darkly poetic neo-Western about a mysterious Chilean woman who brings unrest to a traditional Croatian shepherding community at the beginning of the 20th century. Blending elements of Wuthering Heights, Croatian folklore, and Jane Campion’s The Piano, the film earned its two leading actresses an award at Locarno.

Third World Treći svijet

Arsen Oremović / Croatia / 2025 / 101 min / Croatian

Third World is more than just a documentary about Haustor, the legendary Zagreb band that left its mark on the former Yugoslavia’s music scene. It is the story of two creative opposites: Darko Rundek and Srđan Sacher. Through candid conversations, a studio reunion, and a wealth of archival material, the film reveals how the two artists’ sensitivity to the magic of everyday life once united their creative worlds – creating a third.

The Wizard of the Kremlin Le mage du Kremlin

Olivier Assayas / France / 2025 / 156 min / English

Amid the chaos following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the young Vadim Baranov carves out his own path. He started out as an avant-garde artist, then became a reality TV producer, and ultimately ended up as a personal advisor to the up-and-coming KGB agent Vladimir Putin.

The Ugly Stepsister Den stygge stesøsteren

Emilie Blichfeldt / Norway / 2025 / 109 min / Norwegian, Polish, Swedish

The naïve and awkward Elvira is preparing for the royal ball, where she will compete with her charming stepsister for the affections of the handsome prince. However, her transformation into a swan has devastating – and repulsive – consequences. This dark, grotesque reimagining of Cinderella earned the Norwegian director the Best Film award at Sitges.

The Stranger L'étranger

François Ozon / France / 2025 / 122 min / French

François Ozon brings to the screen a striking adaptation of The Stranger, the iconic existentialist novel by Albert Camus.

The Last Viking Den sidste viking

Anders Thomas Jensen / Denmark / 2025 / 116 min / Danish, Swedish

Mads Mikkelsen stars as John Lennon in this bloody, Scandinavian-style black comedy about two brothers who embark on a journey to find long-buried treasure and discover themselves in the process. “Chiquitita, you and I know…”

The Drama The Drama

Kristoffer Borgli / USA / 2026 / 106 min / English

A film by Kristoffer Borgli (Dream Scenario) starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya.

A Poet Un poeta

Simón Mesa Soto / Colombia, Sweden, Germany / 2025 / 123 min / Spanish

A film that captures the poetic reality of a neurotic poet, skilfully blending cringe comedy with an emotionally resonant story of lost and rediscovered hope. A singular work with an unforgettable central character.

Fiume o morte! Fiume o morte!

Igor Bezinović / Croatia, Italy, Slovenia / 2025 / 112 min / Croatian, Italian

On 12 September 1919, a troop of some three hundred soldiers under the leadership of the flamboyant war-loving Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio swooped into the Northern-Adriatic port town of Fiume, now Rijeka, wanting to annex the city to Italy. Over the course of the next 16 months, during what is regarded as one of the most bizarre militant sieges of all time his official photography team captured over 10,000 images. A century later, Igor Bezinović orchestrates a direct-action history lesson focused on the siege and its modern-day implications.

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert

Baz Luhrmann / Australia / 2025 / 96 min / English

Baz Luhrmann (Elvis, The Great Gatsby) brings the King of Rock and Roll back to life through long-lost footage of his return to the stage in the early 1970s. EPiC is neither a concert film nor a documentary, and it invites us to experience Elvis Presley like never before.

Late Shift Heldin

Petra Volpe / Switzerland, Germany / 2025 / 92 min / German, Turkish, French

Shot with the pacing and tension of a thriller, Late Shift follows a single night in the working life of a nurse in an overcrowded Swiss hospital. Both gripping and compassionate, the film is a tribute to the extraordinary people who stand by us in the most vulnerable moments of our lives.

Nouvelle Vague Nouvelle Vague

Richard Linklater / France / 2025 / 105 min / French, English

Shot in the style of its subject, i.e. in black and white and with little-known actors, Nouvelle Vague looks at the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s iconic debut film, Breathless.

The Last One for the Road Le città di pianura

Francesco Sossai / Italy, Germany / 2025 / 100 min / Italian

Francesco Sossai breathes new life into Italian comedy with a bittersweet road movie. Together with two old friends, we wander through the Venetian lowlands, empty our glasses, and try to remember the “truly incredible thing about life” that Carlo Bianchi discovered. It was the big winner at the prestigious Italian David di Donatello film awards.

Romeria Romería

Carla Simón / Spain, Germany / 2025 / 112 min / Spanish, Catalan

Catalan director Carla Simón (Alcarràs) once again digs into her family history to craft a story of her parents from a mix of real and imagined memories.

Bučko Glavonja

Marina Andree Škop, Vanda Raýmanová / Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Latvia / 2026 / 83 min / Dubbed / 7+

Stealing Land Zemljo krast

Žiga Virc / Slovenia, Austria / 2025 / 70 min / Slovene

When a children’s game sparks political debates at the dinner table, an evening of absurd conflicts, low blows, and unexpected confrontations begins… This feature-length film is a sparkling, witty social satire in which parents fight not only for a better future for their children, but also for their own egos.

If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart into Your Mouth and Smile Wenn du Angst hast nimmst du dein Herz in den Mund und lächelst

Marie Luise Lehner / Austria / 2025 / 87 min / German, Slovene subtitles

This film explores class differences, belonging, human closeness, and the search for identity – from shame to pride. It is a radically tender coming-of-age story accompanied by a wealth of fresh, alternative music.