21/01/2026 - Marko Naberšnik’s film stands out as a rare domestic chart leader, proving a locally rooted literary adaptation can outperform Hollywood franchises in an import-driven theatrical market

Slovenian cinemas closed 2025 with an unusually strong showing for local production, as Marko Naberšnik’s Whites Wash at Ninety [+see also:
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Adapted from Bronja Žakelj’s bestselling autobiographical novel, the film follows its protagonist Bronja from childhood into adulthood as she navigates repeated personal losses, including the death of her mother, her own battle with lymphoma, and the loss of close family members. Structured as a multi-decade story, the film combines intimate domestic drama with a broader social backdrop spanning the late socialist period and Slovenia’s transition years.

The novel’s strong cultural resonance—over 18,500 copies domestically and translated into eight languages—provided a solid foundation for the film’s wide demographic reach. “We prepared a very strong and high-profile advertising campaign for the theatrical distribution; the PR was also exceptional, and before the film opened in cinemas on 20 November, we arranged a re-release of the novel featuring the film’s cover, more than 60 stills and a foreword by the writer, director and producer,” Whites Wash at Ninety producer Aleš Pavlin of Perfo Production told Cineuropa. “We also released the theme song from the film, an adaptation of the 50-year-old hit Dan ljubezni by the band Pepel in kri, in a completely new version, supported by a music video featuring footage from the film,” he added.

The rest of the 2025 chart confirms the structural dominance of American films. Family films and established franchises once again formed the backbone of theatrical attendance; with Disney releases (Zootopia 2, Mufasa: The Lion King and Moana 2) and studio films from Warner Bros., Universal and Paramount occupying most of the top 20. Animation and franchise cinema continued to provide the most reliable returns, particularly in the second half of the year. While Whites Wash at Ninety is still in Slovenian theatres, Pavlin confirmed to Cineuropa that the film will enter cinemas in Serbia and Montenegro on 19 February, and has been sold to Italy, Croatia and North Macedonia for theatrical release in spring. “We are currently working on additional deals in several territories,” he added.