Otter (film)
| Otter | |
|---|---|
 Teaser poster | |
| Montenegrin | Vidra |
| Directed by | Srđan Vuletić |
| Screenplay by | Stefan Boskovic |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | Masha Drashler |
| Cinematography | Philip Toth |
| Edited by |
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| Music by |
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Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 88 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | Montenegrin |
Otter (Montenegrin: Vidra) is a 2025 coming-of-age drama film directed by Srdjan Vuletic. The film is about sixteen-year-old Hana, who has to overcome not one, but two traumas - the death of her father and the betrayal of her first love.[1][2]
The film had its world premiere at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival on 16 August 2025, in the Competition Programme - Feature Film, where it competes for Heart of Sarajevo award.[3]
Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Hana, a reserved teenager, is thrilled when her crush, Balsha, invites her on a lake trip to film a solar eclipse. However, the excitement is short-lived — the next morning, her father, a former elite pilot, passes away. In his will, he requested to be buried in a spacesuit. While Hana’s mother wants to honour his wish, she struggles to withstand the pressure from relatives demanding a traditional burial. Overwhelmed and upset, Hana escapes to the lake. There, Balsha's behavior turns aggressive, shattering her expectations. Hana finds herself battling on two fronts: at home, to support her mother and defy her overbearing family, and outside, to demand respect and reject being reduced to a sexual object. She must take control or risk her "future be as dark as the darkness of the solar eclipse".
Cast
- Masha Drashler as Hana
- Savin Perisic as Balsa
- Lara Velimirovic as Emili
- Mara Rakcevic as Mija
- Pavle Markovic as Luka
- Nada Vukcevic as Olga
- Marko Janketic as Uncle
- Jelena Laban
- Julia Milačić Petrović Njegoš
- Stefan Vukovic as Uncle
- Aleksandar Gavranic as Pegi
- Davor Dragojević
- Fatmir Spahiju as Lieutenant colonel
- Gresa Palaska
- Goran Nikcevic
- Maja Stojanovic
- Vuk Vucinic
- Davud Bahovic
Production
In 2020, film director Srđan Vuletić received the €20,000 Eurimages Co-production Development Award during the CineLink Industry Days, the industry platform of the Sarajevo Film Festival, for his project Otter. The main roles were given to high school students.[4] In 2021, the project was selected at 17th edition of Cinéfondation Atelier, spotlighted within the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.[5][6]
The filming began in Podgorica on 22 April 2024.[7][8]
Release
Otter had its World Premiere at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival, where it will compete for Heart of Sarajevo award in the Competition Programme - Feature Film on 16 August 2025.[9][10]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarajevo Film Festival | 22 August 2025 | Heart of Sarajevo | Otter | Pending | [11] |
References
- ^ Leo Barraclough (23 July 2025). "Fifty Films Compete for the Heart of Sarajevo Awards at 31st Sarajevo Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ "Otter". Artikulacija Film. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ Georg Szalai (23 July 2025). "Sarajevo Film Festival Unveils Lineup Exploring Life and Survival in "Unstable Social Frameworks"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ Economou, Vassilis (21 August 2020). "Srđan Vuletić's The Otter wins the Eurimages Award at CineLink". Cineuropa. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ Lemercier, Fabien (4 June 2021). "15 projects have been selected for Cannes' Cinéfondation Atelier". Cineuropa. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ "L'Atelier 2021". Festival de Cannes. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ Sarajlić, Larisa (4 April 2024). "Srđan Vuletić počinje snimati "Vidru": Film podržan i u Kanu" [Srđan Vuletić begins filming "Otter": Film supported in Cannes]. Dnevni Avaz (in Tibetan). Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ "Počelo snimanje dugometražnog igranog filma "Vidra" reditelja Srđana Vuletića" [Filming of the feature film "Otter" by director Srđan Vuletić has begun]. Film Center of Montenegro (in Bosnian). 4 April 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ Ntim, Zac (23 July 2025). "Sarajevo Film Festival Sets Competition Titles Including 15 World Premieres". Deadline. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ "World Premiere of the Film OTTER". Sarajevo Film Festival. 16 August 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ "31st Sarajevo Film Festival: 50 films to compete for the Heart of Sarajevo awards". Sarajevo Film Festival. 23 July 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
