Eighty Plus  

Restitucija, ili, San i java stare garde / Eighty Plus  

Želimir Žilnik, Serbia, Slovenia, 2025, 118’ 

Through a series of encounters, the film shows the life of eighty-something Stevan and his spirit of solidarity as he returns to Serbia due to denationalisation after decades of living in Germany. 

 After six decades living in Germany, elderly jazz-pianist Stevan returns home to Serbia. Concluding a lengthy legal process, the government confirms that – via post-socialist restitution – he can inherit the neglected mansion previously bequeathed to him by his parents. A series of encounters and reunions then opens an unexpected new chapter in Stevan’s life…  

“If Eighty Plus turns to be a humorously incisive social portrait of family politics, identity and belonging, I am fine with that too. As our main hero Stevan navigates the practical and emotional demands of his present situation while fondly recalling his past life in pre-war Yugoslavia, he reconnects with his multi-generational family, rekindles old friendships, and even sparks a new romantic interest with a nightclub singer he once shared a stage with. Blending documentary realism and narrative fiction with non-professional actors, the film’s hybrid aesthetic aims to create a vision of elderly life in a post-socialist, transnational, and hyper-transactional world we live in.” – Želimir Žilnik 

“In my youth in the 1950s the country was poor and recovering from war, but cinema was our escape. It showed us the world. I’ve always believed that film is not just storytelling; it’s life in motion. I try to create a relaxed environment where the actors feel free. That gives the film its energy. 

Also, I want to show people with dignity – neither victims nor heroes, just human beings trying to live with integrity. Eighty Plus is about dignity, too. I honestly didn’t expect it to resonate so widely. I thought it was a quiet, almost museum-like film. But people connect with the character. It’s not just about a house; it’s about accepting life, time and family.” – Želimir Žilnik

Želimir Žilnik (1942, Yugoslavia) is an artist-filmmaker from Novi Sad, Serbia. In his highly prolific career, Žilnik has made over 50 feature and short films, which have been exhibited internationally at film festivals including Berlin, Toronto, Rotterdam, Moscow and Oberhausen.  From the late 60s, his socially engaged films in former Yugoslavia earned him accolades, but also censorship in the 70s and the 90s for his unflinching criticism of the government apparatus. His power to observe and unleash compelling narratives out of the lives of ordinary people is the common thread throughout his work. 

Želimir Žilnik will join us for a discussion after the screening.