Film Carousel – Season 2022/23

The Space Among US (Slovenia, Serbia, 2021, 100 min.), 10+

An abandoned star observatory unites a blind astronomer and a teenager Tobi

Director: Rahela Jagrič Pirc
Screenplay: Rahela Jagrič Pirc, Darja Medić
Photo: Darko Herič
Music: Janez Dovč
Cast: Kolja Chilima Budišin, Ivo Barišič, Manca Dorrer, Irena Mihelič, Neja Čušin, Alenka Kraigher, Aljaž Jovanovič, Matic Jamar, Romulo Filipe de Figueiredo de Almeida, Jakob Cilenšek, Liam Cimperman
Distribution: Con film

Plot
The Space Among Us is coming of age drama, set in a rural, picturesque town Kostanjevica na Krki. The story revolves around 14 year old Canadian Tobi, who comes to Slovenia on summer holidays with his mother Kristina, who is about to have an important art exhibition in her hometown. Tobi is not excited to spend a summer away from his father and his friends. The situation gets even worse when a local gang starts to bully him because of his skin color. The only positive thing around is a free spirited girl named Tjaša, who leads Tobi to an unusual encounter with retired, blind astronomer Herman. While waiting for his father to join them in Slovenia, Tobi starts spending time with Herman, who teaches him about the laws of Space, which can be applied to our everyday life here on Earth. The star observatory also represents a shelter for Tobi, where he runs to in order to escape the news about his parents’ marriage problems. As it turns out, even Kristina’s art exhibition was pre-planned and visiting her hometown was just an excuse to escape her current life in Canada. The roller coaster of intense emotions and dynamic events lead Tobi and Kristina to confront their fears and to discover what the Universe holds for them.

Director’s statement
“The Space Within Us is a coming-of-age film that introduces us to the mysterious world of space exploration, in which the protagonist realises that certain laws of the universe can also apply to our everyday lives and interpersonal relations. This realisation helps him to win over a girl, reunite his parents, and defeat a gang of village brats. I see the universe as a universal subject that has driven people towards exploration ever since the dawn of humanity, which is why I hope that everyone will be able to discover a piece of themselves in the film.”
Rahela Jagrič Pirc