24/08/2026 - Metod Pevec’s newest documentary follows a set of male prisoners as they take part in a psychodramatic workshop aimed at rehabilitation

Once a week for 18 months, prison psychiatrist Vladimir Milošević interacted with a group of male prisoners in central Slovenia’s Dob Prison. Among these men are Valon Hoxaj, Nenad Mirović, Denis Mihalič, Matej Groznik and others, all of whom have committed felonies or serious offences of different sorts. As documented by director Metod Pevec, Milošević’s self-described psychodramatic process gave rise to When I Get Out, Pevec’s feature-length documentary that has just had its international premiere in the Sarajevo Film Festival’s Documentary Competition after collecting the Audience Award at the Festival of Slovenian Film last October.

Instead of following the men in their daily lives – a more expected approach to such a topic – the documentary focuses on these meetings between them as they discuss, debate and act out various scenarios from their past, including with people who have influenced who they are today. One could draw loose parallels with Lola Arias’ Reas in the sort of performance-based rehabilitative play that Pevec is seeking to capture, although a lack of structure and guiding thread make this film more difficult to follow.

Some of the conversations veer into more traditional territory, such as repenting language about past acts, pushback against or agreement with the carceral system, and reflections on the way forward. Through the process of recording Milošević’s workshops, Pevec pries at the emotions rarely revealed in day-to-day prison interactions, but the film struggles to escape the feeling of repetition in its running time of over an hour and 45 minutes.

During the movie, we also learn of the prisoners’ creative interests – for instance, one is at an advanced level of painting, and another is skilled in performance – eventually culminating in what could be considered a restorative artistic showcase. This becomes the film’s big payoff moment, although the lead-up to this point is weaker than it perhaps could be.

When I Get Out doesn’t seek to make any set statements about the morality of prison, but it ends up revealing more about the deep emotional reflection that prisoners are forced into. When personal insights begin to rise to the surface, including some immensely vulnerable revelations, we are then reminded of the documentarian’s gaze and strongly interventionist approach he takes.

When I Get Out is a Slovenian documentary staged by Vertigo, co-produced by RTV Slovenija.