Surviving Earth

Surviving Earth

Director: Thea Gajić
Country: United Kingdom

German Premiere
2025 | 100 min. | English, Serbian
Subtitles: English, German

Cast_ Slavko Sobin , Olive Gray, Stuart Martin, Peter Coonan, Toni Gojanović Screenplay_ Thea Gajić Camera_ Olan Collardy Producer_ Aleksandra Bilić, Sophie Reynolds Rights_ Bankside Films

Vlad lives in exile in Bristol, enjoying the first successes with his band and being close with his daughter. But the horrors of the Yugoslav Wars continue to haunt him.

Vlad is a talented harmonica player. He fled the atrocities of the Yugoslav Wars and has been living in the United Kingdom ever since. In Bristol, he works as a social counselor. He remains connected to his cultural roots, bringing Balkan music to the city with his newly formed band. Before long, they have their first small successes and start aiming higher. But Vlad cannot escape the traumatic experiences of his past. The new life that he has carefully built for himself begins to fall apart – and the person he loves the most, his daughter Maria, is hit hardest.

Based on a true story, ›Surviving Earth‹ is a keenly sensitive and powerful psychological drama. The director’s passion flows through every frame of this emotionally charged film.

Director

Thea Gajić is an actress, writer, and director of Serbian descent, born and raised in London. Her first short film, ›Run‹ (2016), won the New Talent Award at the BFI Future Film Festival. Her other short films include ›The Importance of Skin‹ (2017), ›ELI‹ (2018), and ›Ajar‹ (2020). ›Surviving Earth‹ is her feature debut.

Trailer

Screenings