Lover, Not Fighter

Comedy, romantic film, drama | 108 minutes
Screenplay and direction: Martina Buchelová | Cast: Adam Kubala, Michaela Kostková, František Beleš and others.

Andrej has a simple plan: avoid doing stupid things, stay home, spend the summer at his grandmother's, and most importantly, don't drink so much that he ends up climbing a tall tree he can't get down from. Then he meets Míša. Over a glass of Fanta they start talking, and his carefully laid plans quickly fall apart. His quirky cousin Peter, who loves wearing sweaters, joins the mix, and the three of them find themselves in a summer full of romance, awkward moments, misunderstandings, and small adventures.

Beneath the light generational romance lies a story about growing up, self-harm, and finding a path to oneself and to others. Andrej's effort to "be good" clashes with his struggle with alcohol, while Peter grapples with what it means to be a man. Buchelová doesn't trap her characters in simple psychological explanations - she lets them make mistakes, correct themselves, and try again. The film has a tender romantic soul, gentle humor, and a sense of mischief, and the chemistry between the central trio gives their banter, uncertainties, and sudden moments of closeness a natural feel.

The non-chronological narrative branches into chapters and moves freely from romance through dreamlike stylization to genre detours, never losing its lightness and internal coherence. The film overflows with visual and narrative ideas and tests how far it can push its form - with the boldness of a debut that treats no cinematic rule as sacred, yet has enough tenderness and empathy that its characters don't get lost in all the playfulness.

"Youth isn't anchored to a specific time. Youth is an experience, a feeling. And the viewer can literally touch all of it."
"An absolute heartwarmer. Youthfully playful, impulsive, mercurial, and awkwardly funny."
"If a film is meant to convey emotion, this one does it perfectly."