Talas Film

"Life of a Mutt" tells true, intimate and authentic stories from the perspective of stray dogs. Combining documentary material with hand drawn animation and voice over, we are crossing between genres and forms of documentary, fiction and animation, giving our silent heroes a voice. The inspiration comes from ancient Indian, Russian, British stories. Combining seven scenes into one life story - from birth to birth again, we witness their dignifying fight for survival, while also touching upon existential questions, such as the marginalized groups, nature and the environment, and highlighting esteemed values such as love, friendship and trust.

After a heart attack, Jovan, a retired architect of Serbian origin who spent most of his life in Germany, refuses to give into his daughter's pressure to spend the rest of his life in a nursing home. With his grandson Nikola, who has Asperger's syndrome and is living without social contacts, he travels to his homeland, a village in Serbia, to sell the family land, but becomes a part of a local population rebellion against the construction mafia that threatens to destroy everything that is left of his homeland.

The tavern "Jablan" existed in the 1980s and was located in a small village, Jugovo Polje, in Croatia, SFRY. "Jablan" was a symbol of "brotherhood and equality" for its owners, guests, musicians, and waiters. It was a place where people of different generations and education gathered - from workers and peasants to doctors, even music and sports stars of the '80s, it was a place where nationality and religious affiliation played no role. Nevertheless, the first shooting between Serbs and Croats took place in "Jablan", which heralded the war in Croatia and ended "Jablan's carefree days". The film protagonists reconstruct the events, from the day the tavern was created, to its destruction, witnessing how a place of love and joy became an object of hatred and destruction within a few months.

Chinese President is on his official 3-day visit to Serbia. Government of Serbia is celebrating this visit, representing it as “historical”- the beginning of economical rescue of Serbia, thanks to Chinese investments, guaranteed by Chinese President himself. 20-years ago numerous Chinese community in Serbia is today hardly visible, hidden from media and politics. Same as a middle class of Serbia, whom they provide in their low-cost shops, Chinese workers remain overlooked and untouched by this important visit. In these 3 days we witness scenes from the lives of ordinary people, isolated in foreign country and culture, which is just their passing stop until the next temporary homeland. Farmer’s family fighting with their own ignorance and state bureaucracy; young couple, with shop in province, torn between obligations toward family in China and their personal ambitions; female ensemble of middle-aged shop owners, escaping the monotony of their moldy shops in a dance...