During a harsh winter in March 1945, a brigade of 500 partisans retreats to the high plateau of Menina planina after finding themselves surrounded by a 12,000-soldier SS division in the valleys below. Sheltered by forests, they build a makeshift camp, exhausted, starved, freezing, malnourished, and dispirited. Commander Franc Sever ‘Franta’ is faced with an impossible task: to get his soldiers out. After a bloody battle, they manage to break the enemy ring and fight their way to freedom.

“I knew immediately, when I heard of this event in 2018, that I wanted to turn this story into a film. As a medium that evokes the strongest emotions, cinema is the best way to show this unique event in Slovenian history and help keep the memory of it alive,” director Dejan Babošek explains his motives for the film.

Popular young Slovenian actor Domen Valič stars in the main role.

The film was produced by Dejan Babošek through the Narayan Produkcija, Aljaž Verhovnik through Zveza borcev za vrednoste NOB Slovenije and Jernej Brajer through KZD Triglav, in coproduction with Studio Ritem. The budget was 250,000 EUR.

The shooting took take place at Velika Planina, in Kamnik and Ljubljana in February and March 2019.

The film was also sold to foreign territories (UK, USA, Canada, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea) through sales agent Media Move (Poland).

Production Information:

Producers:
Narayan Produkcija (Slovenia)
Zveza borcev za vrednoste NOB Slovenije (Slovenia)
KZD Triglav (Slovenia)

Coproducer:
Studio Ritem (Slovenia)

Credits:
Director: Dejan Babošek
Screenwriters: Dejan Babošek, Martin Horvat
DoP: Gregor Kitek
Editor: Dejan Babošek
Production Designer: Urška Mazej
Costume Designer: Barbara Drmota
Make-up Artists: Darja Krhin, Barbara Hren
Composer: Tim Žibrat
Cast: Domen Valič, Jernej Gašperin, Ana Špik, Lovro Zafred, Denys Bilash, Rok Vihar, Jan Bučar, Miha Rodman