Some film historians date the start of Slovenian cinema to 1948 when the nation was part of Communist Yugoslavia. The republic’s state-controlled studio produced more than 100 films before Slovenia’s independence in 1991. Since then, independent producers (backed sometimes by public funds) have assumed the role, and Slovenia has become a prolific center of film production.
This month, the Third Annual Festival of Slovenian Films will give Milwaukee cineastes the chance to see hard-to-find movies from the Balkan nation.
“On a macro perspective, the Slovenian film industry has always been a part of the national cultural production. It encompasses all of the essential elements of filmmaking as in any country with a developed film industry. The work of Slovenia’s filmmakers can be seen at film festivals around the world,” says Paul Zovic, vice president of UWM’s Slovenian Arts Program.
© Spok Films
Little Trouble Girls (2025)
Little Trouble Girls (2025)
Among the selections at this year’s Slovenian festival is the 2025 drama by director Urška Djukić, Little Trouble Girls, which follows the sexual-romantic awakening of the 16-year-old protagonist enrolled in a music school. Sonja Prosenc’s 2024 comedy Family Therapy is a satire about a wealthy family inspired by Pier Paolo Pasolini’s allegory on the spiritual corruption of the bourgeoise, Teorema. The festival will also include a trio of short films, “Sports Day,” “One Meter is Sex Centimeters” and “Common Pear.” Well regarded on the festival circuit, the selections will be presented with English subtitles.
“We had talked about putting on a Slovenian film festival for several years, and in 2023 we held the inaugural fest,” Zovic says. “To select films, I review new listings in the database of Slovenian films and the programs of European film festivals and try to find a few films that represent a range of film genre (drama, comedy, romance, action, documentary, etc.) by today’s Slovenian filmmakers. I also communicate with the Slovenian Film Centre representatives in Ljubljana who also identify films and help me to contact the filmmakers.”
The Festival of Slovenian Films will be held April 11-12 at the UWM Fine Arts Cinema on the lower level of Mitchell Hall, Room B91 (3203 N. Downer Avenue). Little Trouble Girls screens at 7:15 p.m. April 11 and 5 p.m. April 12; Family Therapy at 5:20 p.m. April 11. Admission is free.
