3 WEEKS AFTER

Three weeks after losing his best friend to suicide, Tzotza joins his classmates on a school excursion to Bulgaria despite still struggling with his grief. From the outset, it is clear he is an outsider. His classmates barely tolerate him, while his two teachers quietly do their best to protect him from their hostility.

During a break at a highway rest area, Milica sneaks her boyfriend, Bogdanovic, onto the bus. It quickly becomes clear that he is the group's alpha—a charismatic troublemaker whose presence immediately shifts the dynamic.

When the bus breaks down, the students and teachers are forced to take shelter in a nearly deserted resort preparing to close for the season. Cut off from the outside world, boredom and simmering tensions soon turn into cruelty, with Tzotza becoming the group's primary target. As the harassment escalates, a volatile confrontation forces long-buried resentments into the open, exposing an unsettling truth. The bullying reaches a devastating intensity, pushing Tzotza to his breaking point.

Be warned: this is not a pleasant film. Depending on your state of mind, it may leave you emotionally devastated. Yet it is an essential work—a haunting portrait of a bored generation trapped in cruelty and apathy. It explores the perpetuation of bullying with unflinching honesty, revealing how easily victims and bystanders become part of its vicious circle.

With 3 WEEKS AFTER, Serbian director Miroslav Terzić has crafted a powerful film that will shake you to the core. From its stunning cinematography, which beautifully underscores the characters' loneliness and isolation, to its meticulous sound design and immersive sound mix, every element works in harmony to create an unforgettable experience.

It is probably the darkest film in this year's programme, but also—at least in my opinion—the most important. (ANNICK MAHNERT)