Film Critic Johnson Thomas homes in on debutant director Nina Ognjanović's 'Where the Road Leads' screened at JioMAMI2023

2023 Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival Film: Where The Road Leads Rating: * * * 1/2

Nina Ognjanović's debut feature 'Where The Road Leads' was screened at Jio MAMI 2023. A graduation feature of the fresh graduate of Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, the film won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature and Grand Jury Honorable Mention (for Best Narrative Feature) at The Slamdance Film Festival 2023.

The film which is produced by David Jovanović, a fellow graduate, and has semi-professional and professionals from the school, playing important roles on the technical and acting side, has also won the Grand Jury Award for Best International Narrative at the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival – California and Jury Award for Best Director at Ravno Selo Film Festival – Serbia. It's quite a remarkable slew of awards for a fledgling director who is now basking in the acquired glory of festival plaudits.

An intriguing drama that leans towards an escapist agenda, the film is remarkable for its absorbing narrative and intense performances. The film is all about how the unexpected arrival of a stranger (Zlatan Vidovic) in a remote Serbian village brings about a change in the place and its people. Misunderstandings, prejudices, hostilities crop up as the villagers try to come to terms with the stranger in their midst. Young Jana (Jana Bjelica) who is looking to escape from the village of her origin, sees this as an opportunity and does everything to save him -even if it means being constantly on the run. The road to freedom is obviously never paved with easy milestones.

Where The Road Leads goes back and forth within its 1 hour and 21-minute runtime, marking intriguing moments laden with possibilities. Rastko Ubovic's assured editing keeps the narrative crisp and easily digestible. Bjelica as the young Jana is supremely convincing. The supporting cast also do well to stay in the moment and make the journey intriguing. Ognjanović's helming is confident and her director of photography Vladislav Andrejevic, helps the audience immerse themselves in the goings-on within the town.

Where the Road leads beautifully juxtaposes the socio-economic conditions that define life in a seemingly tranquil village against the desperation that Jana experiences. The narrative may seem simplistic but the visuals and dialogue reveal a depth and nuance that drives home its complexities. It's a poetic cadence of ideas that comes together in a form that is immediately palatable. And Ognjanović labyrinthian narrative is the highlight here. The film is a masterful debut feature that captures the essence of small village life in a way that is both relatable and thought-provoking. Nina Ognjanovic's natural style complements the visually captivating emotion charged narrative, lending it a captivating authenticity that is well-earned by one so young as she.

The film is a confident display of craft and deserves its 17 nominations and 15 wins thus far ! Nina and David and their team are happy with the reception the film has garnered at the various festivals it was shown in. It's now time for the film to release in the local theatres in home country Serbia. Nina is aldready working on her next film and this one promises to be a little more radical and a bigger challenge!

Where the Road Leads Original title: Ovuda ce proci put 2023 Runtime: 1h 21m Synopsis: An unexpected visit radically changes the life of a small isolated place in Serbia. Jana (18) will do everything to save the stranger that she thinks will take her far from there. Director Nina Ognjanovic Writer Nina Ognjanovic Cast: Jana Bjelica, Zlatan Vidovic, Vladimir Maksimovic, Ninoslav Culum, Igor Filipovic, Svetozar Cvetkovic, Branislava Stefanovic, Eva Ras, Pavle Cemerikic, Marta Bogosavljevic, Demijan Kostic Language: Serbian w/English subtitles