Wondrous is the Silence of My Master

The leader of 19th-century Montenegro is forced to retreat to Italy to cure himself of tuberculosis. As his condition worsens, his loyal servant struggles with duty and the shadow of his master‘s fate. 

Having been weakened by tuberculosis and under pressure from the Ottomans, Morlak, a fictive leader of 19th-century Montenegro inspired by Petar II Petrović Njegoš, goes to southern Italy for treatment. For his most loyal companion, Đuko, this trip brings on nostalgia and jealousy, particularly because Morlak quickly befriends a visiting scholar. As Đuko’s devotion is transformed into obsession, his inner world begins to fracture.

The director avoids conventional drama, instead crafting sparse vignettes, reminiscent of Albert Serra, where silence and stillness weigh as much as words. Beneath this surface is an understated critique of power imbalances: the fragile position of small Balkan societies caught between East and West, and the colonial gaze of bourgeois elites who view their guests as noble savages. Characters are archetypal, but in this self-aware abstraction, the film is an allegory for displacement and longing. In the deconstruction of mythical nation and omnipotent leaders, Salatić offers a nostalgic examination of identity and exile.

Programme section: Cinema Current
Original title: Otapanje vladara | Year: 2025 | Duration: 93′
Country: Montenegro, Italy, France, Croatia, Serbia | Language: Montenegrin, Italian, French | Subtitles: English
Director: Ivan Salatić | Production: Jelena Angelovski, Dušan Kasalica – Meander Film; Nightswim, Bocalupo Films, Dinaridi Film, Non-Aligned Films | Cast: Marko Pogačar, Luka Petrone, Tea Ljubešić, Vanja Matić, Jakov Zovko | Screenplay: Ivan Salatić | Cinematography: Ivan Marković | Editing: Jelena Maksimović

FESTIVALS & AWARDS (SELECTION) 

International Film Festival Rotterdam, 2025 – Tiger Competition (World Premiere) | Hong Kong International Film Festival, 2025 | Kino Otok – Isola Cinema, 2025 | Taormina Film Festival, 2025 | Pula Film Festival, 2025

DIRECTOR’S BIO 

Ivan Salatić (Dubrovnik, 1982) is a Montenegrin director and screenwriter. He graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Cetinje and earned his master’s degree at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg. His works have been shown and awarded at numerous international festivals. His short film “Backyards” premiered in the Orizzonti section of the Venice International Film Festival in 2015. His first feature film, “You Have the Night”, was also presented in Venice in the International Critics’ Week in 2018, marking the first time a Montenegrin film was selected for this programme. He co-founded Meander Film, a Montenegro-based production company. He lives in Belgrade.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

In “Wondrous Is the Silence of My Master”, I aimed to offer an alternative perspective on the historical portrayal of Montenegro, challenging the 19th-century views that still shape its cultural and political identity. These views are often defined by conservatism, patriarchy, and the struggle to reconcile with the modern world. While historical figures and events inspired the film narrative, my goal was to create a work of fiction – a reimagined view of the Mediterranean in the 19th century.