GIRL IN THE NIGHT

Rok is trapped in the fluorescent existential purgatory of his monotonous work at a gas station. His greatest act of rebellion is pocketing the occasional chocolate bar during his night shift. One evening, a bruised young woman stumbles into his store. By night, she's a self-appointed vigilante, roaming the city in search of missing pets, lost objects, and the kinds of crimes everyone else is too tired to notice. Desperate for a connection with this enigmatic lass, and burdened by his own terrible instincts, Rok steals her bicycle.

As the “sole witness” of the crime, and with the promise of finding her lost bike, Rok joins her nightly capers. The pair navigate a nocturnal world populated by eccentrics and loners, with every interaction leading them deeper into a city where social detachment and boredom feel like the greatest danger haunting its residents.

After shattering Slovenian box-office records with his debut feature, AT HOSTAR, Luka Marčetić returns with a delightfully deadpan love letter to misfits and the spirit of youth. Equal parts a melancholy hangout comedy and a lo-fi vigilante romp, GIRL IN THE NIGHT is packed with awkward encounters and quiet optimism. This absurdist crowd-pleaser reminds us that sometimes changing the world starts with helping someone find what they've lost, even if you're the reason it went missing in the first place. (RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ)