THE LOST SON

World Premiere: Sunday, 16 August | 20:45 | UNIQUA Ljetni kino Stari Grad

100 min. / Slovenia, Greece, Croatia, Italy, North Macedonia 2026 / feature

Trailer:

Director Darko Štante and main actors Jure Henigman, Nejc Cijan Garlatti, Lara Maria Vouk, and Nika Rozman are available for interviews.

THE LOST SON (Izgubljeni Sin) by writer-director Darko Štante is world premiering at the Sarajevo Film Festival 2026. The drama follows a detective investigating a domestic abuse case who discovers that the perpetrator is his own brother, forcing him to confront the violence that shaped his childhood. THE LOST SON is screening in the Open Air Programme on the biggest screen in the region on 16 August.

THE LOST SON explores the lasting impact of violence across generations, asking whether it is possible to break the cycle that so often turns victims into perpetrators. While addressing a difficult subject, it aims to reach a broad audience and open space for meaningful dialogue.

The film’s cinematographer is acclaimed Peter Zeitlinger, whose collaborations with renowned filmmakers including Abel Ferrara, Ulrich Seidl, and Werner Herzog include the Oscar®-  nominated documentary Encounters at the End of the World. The film is edited by two-time Oscar® and BAFTA-nominated editor and European Film Award winner Yorgos Mavropsaridis, best known for his collaborations with Yorgos Lanthimos on films including The Favourite and Poor Things.

SYNOPSIS
Andrej, a seasoned criminal investigator, faces a shocking revelation when he encounters his estranged brother, Kristian, as a domestic violence perpetrator. As he grapples with guilt and tries to mend their relationship, parallels between Kristian’s behavior and their abusive father’s emerge. Amidst personal turmoil, Andrej’s professional life intertwines, leading to substance abuse and strained relationships. A tragic turn of events pushes Andrej to confront his past trauma, ultimately culminating in a heartbreaking confrontation with their father. As he seeks redemption and reconciliation, Andrej’s life takes a devastating turn when Kristian commits a horrific act, forcing him to confront the depths of familial turmoil and personal responsibility.

Darko Štante, an acclaimed director and scriptwriter from Slovenia, holds a master’s degree in Film Direction from the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television in Ljubljana. He made his debut with Consequences (2018), which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and went onto win multiple awards and secure distribution deals worldwide.

THE LOST SON features a banner cast including Jure Henigman (Wake Me), Nejc Cijan Garlatti (The High Sun), Lara Maria Vouk (My Last Year as a Loser), Igor Samobor (Class Enemy), Nika Rozman (Istina) and Goran Bogdan (Fargo, The Father).

THE LOST SON is produced by STARAGARA (Slovenia) in co-production with Graal (Greece), Propeler Film (Croatia) and Staragara I.T. (Italy), and Kaval Film (North Macedonia).
Supported by Slovenian Film Centre, Radio Television Slovenia (RTV Slovenia), Greek Film Centre, ERT S.A., Fondo per l’Audiovisivo del Friuli Venezia Giulia, Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Film Agency of the Republic of North Macedonia, Creative Europe MEDIA, RE-ACT.
The project participated at ScripTeast and EAVE.

Directed by Darko Štante
Written by Darko Štante
Producers Nina Robnik, Miha Černec, Jožko Rutar
Cinematography Peter Zeitlinger A.S.C
Editing Yorgos Mavropsaridis, ACE and Sara Gjergek
Production Design Miha Knific
Costume Design Nikolina Kostanjšek
Make-up & Hair Design Matea Katunar
Music Toni Kitanovski
Sound Design Igor Popovski

Production Company:
Staragara
Producer Nina Robnik
nina@staragara.com
https://staragara.com/

World Sales:
tba

©/CREDITS:

Stills: © Staragara