Synopsis

Grigorije Zidar (45) was a hero in the Balkan War of 2034 who charged into battles alone, today he is a grumpy truck driver who transports everything they give him and just wants to be left alone. The European Union established a loose peace, but left all power to local sheriffs. Grigorije has the misfortune that his truck breaks down in the very place where he

fought, but he hopes that the memories of him have faded. However, the repair takes more time and he stays in a local hotel which is run down like the whole place which lives on smuggling people who want to go to Scandinavian countries and Greenland after the drastic global warming.

Sofija, an Albanian who was stuck in Montenegro because she had no money for the last round of the trip, works as a waitress in the hotel. Sofija persistently refuses to become a prostitute and very aggressively rejects men and tries to earn money in an honest way. This proud Albanian woman awakens in Grigorije the need for closeness and the desire to care for someone after many years.

As someone skilled with weapons, a man who knows the roads, has a truck, and is an ideal candidate for people smuggling, the head of the municipality, and actually the leader of the mafia, Luka tries to recruit Grigorije for himself. Grigorije rudely refuses him. In this way, Grigorije only resents the mobsters. They take him to prison and there he learns that he is even being indicted for attempted murder and terrorism. In addition, Luka flogs him in front of the whole place to humiliate him.

Sofia brings medicines to the injured Grigorije in prison and sees his wounds. They become even closer and Grigorije promises to take her away from here. However, for helping Grigorije, the powerful Luka also decides to punish Sofija and rapes her. That same evening,

Gligorije escapes from prison. He takes the gun from guard Stanojlo, frees Sofija and takes cruel revenge on his abusers. He takes Sofija and they drive together to Greenland in his truck.

Director’s statement

Long Dead is a neo-western set in the Balkans of 2035, in a land where war never truly ended but only changed its form. The film speaks about forgotten heroes, fabricated histories, and a society consumed by corruption, revenge, and survival. Its central message is deeply anti-war: all Balkan wars have served only criminals and profiteers, while ordinary people remained trapped in their own ruins.

The story unfolds in Maglav, a fictional city ravaged by past wars and climate disaster. Here, power lies not in ideals but in the control of water and human lives. Luka Savić, the autocrat and self-proclaimed “restorer,” rules through propaganda, fear, and smuggling. Against this backdrop, two broken souls cross paths: Grigorije Zidar, a former soldier stripped of identity and faith, and Sofija, an Albanian refugee clinging to dignity and survival. Their fragile bond becomes a search for humanity in a place where myths are celebrated in bronze, while the living are buried in oblivion.

Visually, the film draws on western iconography- vast landscapes, silence, sudden eruptions of violence, merged with the legacy of Yugoslav “red westerns.” The atmosphere is dry, scorched, and suffocating: nature itself reflects spiritual exhaustion. Maglav, with its grotesque hotel “Riviera” and its plastic illusions of prosperity, becomes an allegory for post-Yugoslav societies where myths outlive their creators.

Stylistically, the film embraces wide, static compositions, natural light, and slow, deliberate camera movements. Harsh daylight exposes the cruelty of existence, while night brings noir-inspired shadows, neon signs, and moments of fragile intimacy. The film will be shot on authentic locations, relying on physical set design and tangible textures rather than digital effects, to preserve realism and emotional weight.

The climax is not a battle, but a realization: Grigorije and Sofija were already “long dead” until they found each other. Their escape across the barren plain toward a mythic Greenland is not a triumph, but a question- does hope exist, or is it just another necessary lie?

Ultimately, Odavno mrtav is not a story about heroes or love. It is a meditation on how to fight when defeat is inevitable, how to hold onto humanity when the world forgets what it means, and how to survive the inner wars that never end.

Short bio of Director

Milija Šćepanović is a Montenegrin writer and director. She holds a degree in directing from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Cetinje.

For the past 10 years, she has directed over five short films. Her latest short film, “The Eagle’s Nest,” was in competition in many festivals around the world, including Bogoshorts.