Christmas Eve, somewhere in Yugoslavia towards the end of the 1980s: a three-member family is stressed with their holiday preparations. The apartment has to be whipped into shape, the special dinner cooked, the right clothing donned. After all, they’re expecting their uncle from Germany, and that means everything must be perfect. However, it doesn’t take long till the viewer begins stumbling over details. There’s something odd about this seemingly average family. What wicked game is being played here exactly?

With their debut, David Kapac and Andrija Mardešić have created a surprisingly gripping film that even holds up quite well in comparison to genre classics like FUNNY GAMES.

Andrija Mardešić is a Croatian film and TV author. He has successfully directed projects in various genres: experimental and music videos, documentaries and promos. Still, his focus is cinema where he proved himself with a series of short films.

David Kapac is a Croatian screenwriter, director and creative producer. He started his career with student short films, all screened at festivals in Croatia and abroad. THE UNCLE is their debut feature.

Filmography (selection):
Andrija Mardešić: 2009 IRIS, 2015 TWO ALL ALONE, 2019 STEPPE FOX (all short films), 2022 THE UNCLE (together with David Kapac)
David Kapac: 2011 ZAGORJE SPECIALTY, 2022 THE UNCLE (together with Andrija Mardešić)

Awards (selection): Grand Prix (Montenegro Film Festival, Herceg Novi 2022), Award for Best Screenplay and for Best Costume Design (Pula Film Festival, Croatia 2022), Award for Best Actress (Leskovacki Festival Filmske Rezije, Serbia 2022)