Next to Us

Olja is a high school history teacher, married to a painter whose latest exhibition provoked violent reactions from Serbian nationalists. One night, a group of masked hooligans attacks her. They film the attack and upload the clip to YouTube. The next day Olja discovers that some of her students were responsible. She takes away their mobile phones, and in the heat of the moment decides to lock them in the school building, also disconnecting the school phones and the internet. In order to solve the problem together, and with inability to leave the school, students begin to communicate. During that night, a generation that was written off before they were ever given a chance will learn more than they ever expected about themselves and their classmates.

Set five years on from the school days of director Stevan Filipovic's previous film Next to Me, a state of emergency exists and politicians are accused of capitalising on public anxiety around Covid-19, which makes the shocking situation that reunites the characters significantly more extreme. The story centres on Ksenija (newcomer Mina Nikolic), a driven young woman striving to move from tabloid hack to a career journalist in a world of click-bait headlines and showbiz scandals cooked up to feed the masses. Ksenija's personal and professional journey is hampered when Vera tests positive for Coronavirus and Ksenija must question how far she will bend to survive in a climate where political pressure is increasingly overt and can be said to capitalise on fear during the pandemic.

Novica is a mathematics champion in a Belgrade high school. In an attempt to overcome the ‘geek’ status at school, Novica becomes attracted to the world of skinheads by his school friend Relja. Novica is exposed to violence, hooliganism and racism; embracing the ideology and climbing up the ladder in the gang hierarchy.

Trouble usually starts when the power falls into the wrong hands. That's how the book that hides an ancient evil fell to Stanislav. It does not matter whether Stanislav is a nice guy who helps old ladies cross the street, a psychopath, nerd, or a blood-thirsty young man.

Musical takes place before summer break, six months before the original movie "Next to Me' takes place. Characters are more immature and younger than in the original movie, and with their actions lead others into unpleasant situations, sometimes even hurting them. Some of them learn something from their experiences, learn how to apologize and forgive, while others don't.