04/03/2022 - For his sixth feature, the Slovenian director is re-teaming with writer Srdjan Koljević, cinematographer Marko Brdar, and production companies Staragara and Propeler Film

l-r: actresses Damjana Černe and Diana Kolenc, director Janez Burger, costume design assistant Barbara Drmota and actor Jure Henigman on the set of Observing (© Mitja Ličen)

One of Slovenia's most highly acclaimed filmmakers, Janez Burger, has started shooting his sixth feature, Observing [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Janez Burger
film profile], on location in Ljubljana. Co-written by Burger and Serbian screenwriter Srdjan Koljević, the film is inspired by a real event. It follows 27-year-old Lara (newcomer Diana Kolenc), a paramedic intern who helps bring 30-year-old Kristijan (Vito Weiss) into the hospital, after he was brutally beaten on a Facebook Live stream that was seen by 20,000 people, with no one calling the police.

Although Kristijan is in a coma, Lara starts to receive video clips from his Facebook account, showing unidentified persons watching him get beaten. She reports this to detective Borut (Jure Henigman, from A Trip [+see also:
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interview: Jure Henigman
interview: Nejc Gazvoda
film profile] and Dual [+see also:
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interview: Nejc Gazvoda
film profile]), who starts an investigation. All of the observers who appear in the video clips will become Lara's nightmare in her real life. She soon realises that she is also an accomplice in this horrible event.

Observing also stars Nataša Keser, Vladimir Vlaškalić, Benjamin Krnetič, Blaž Setnikar, Pavle Ravnohrib and Damjana Černe. It is being lensed by Marko Brdar and will be edited by Miloš Kalausek – both of whom worked with Burger on his previous, so far most accomplished picture, Ivan [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Janez Burger
interview: Maruša Majer
film profile], which premiered at Karlovy Vary and went on to win eight awards at the national Slovenian Film Festival in Portorose in 2018.

The film is being produced by Miha Černec and Jožko Rutar for Ljubljana-based Staragara, and co-produced by Boris T Matić for Croatia's Propeler Film, Igor Prinčič for Italy's Transmedia and Robert Jazadziski for Kaval Film, from North Macedonia. The film’s executive producer is Nina Robnik.

Observing, which will be filmed over an estimated 35 days in and around Ljubljana, Trieste and Gorizia, has received the financial support of the Slovenian Film Centre, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, RTV Slovenija, Viba Film Studio, the North Macedonia Film Agency, Creative Europe – MEDIA, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Film Commission and the Italian Ministry of Culture.