In 19th-century Montenegro, the free mountain territories are surrounded by Turkish forces, isolated from the West and steeped in conservatism, patriarchy, and superstition. Morlak, a poet and bishop inspired by the historical figure Petar II Petrović Njegoš, leads his tribe in resisting the invaders. Gravely ill, he is sent to southern Italy in search of a cure. The journey takes him to a house in Naples, a city that contrasts sharply with his homeland’s isolated hills. As Morlak contemplates his existence, his loyal servant Djuko struggles with profound nostalgia, driven by the fear of his master’s death in a foreign land.

Wondrous Is the Silence of My Master

In the backyards there are sheds, a huge old tree, wild plants with wild offspring, waste scattered around. This is where they spend their time. A decaying building is about to be destroyed and someone may go beyond. Soon one of them becomes aware of the sea.

Backyards

An old man lives in a small village in the north of Montenegro. He is troubled by the story of his father, which he heard when he was a boy. At the end of WWII, an Italian officer called Mazzola was captured by the partisans, and soon after shot and buried close to the old man’s house. There is no tomb or trace; no real proof that the story is true. However, he is afraid of digging to see if any bones lie underneath. He turns to the remaining villagers in order to find out the truth. There are two men older than him, but their stories don’t always match and are not easy to comprehend.

We Are the Sons of Your Rocks

After leaving the ship on which she works, Sanja finds herself stranded, with nowhere to go but home. The shipyard has filed for bankruptcy, leaving many workers out of work. A storm comes; one life is lost. Luka is waiting for the night in the woods. The night when everything could change.