Surviving Earth
Description
When we first meet Vlad, a charismatic Yugoslav refugee, he appears larger than life. A recovering addict who cherishes his teenage daughter and hard-won friendships, he bursts with possibility. During the day he counsels fellow addicts at a center in Bristol. At night, he finds joy playing music with fellow Slavic refugees. Vlad’s energy belies his stability, and his newly built world begins to fracture after a series of unfortunate events. Vlad soldiers on, convincing his bandmates to host a Balkan concert to celebrate their progress as immigrants and musicians, but behind the bravado he wrestles with his demons and the terror of failure. Slavko Sobin’s portrayal of Vlad is formidable in this drama based on true events, the actor achieves a complicated mix of optimism and tragedy without a false note. With riveting performances and stunning musical segments, Surviving Earth is a powerful reminder of the fragility of life and the daily work of sobriety.—Jessie Fairbanks
Thea Gajić is an actress, writer, and director of Serbian descent who was born and raised in South London. Her first short, Run (2016), won BFI Future Film Fest’s New Talent Award. Her other shorts include The Importance of Skin (2017), ELI (2018), and Ajar (2020). Surviving Earth is her first feature.
Film Details
LanguageEnglish, Serbian
Year2025
PremiereCalifornia
Runtime97
CountryUK
DirectorThea Gajić
ProducerAleksandra Bilić, Sophie Reynolds
WriterThea Gajić
EditorIzabella Curry
CinematographerOlan Collardy
CastSlavko Sobin, Olive Gray, Stuart Martin
Print SourceBankside Films
Closed CaptionsClosed Captions are not currently confirmed for this film
Audio DescriptionAudio Descriptions are confirmed for this film
American Sign Language (ASL) InterpretationAmerican Sign Language Interpretation is not currently scheduled for this film
