Consequences

False accusation and the fallout. Be assured, it's grim...watching a young man dissolve in front of your eyes is...as unpleasant as it gets. But...what a film, an agonising white-knuckle ride into despair. Without a doubt, the best first feature of the year! Kudos to Darko Stante and his cast.

These young, relatively inexperienced actors give their self-identified, alpha-male thugs the conviction they need...you wouldn't want to be meeting any these lads on a dark, lonely street. Timon Sturbej does psychopathic scarily well...with a thread of sensitivity that he switches on and off like a light-switch as he also does with his sexual preferences. He has a diminutive side-kick who is rotten to the core...not exactly the best friends a young man can have. That's exactly what the become...Andrej's 'friend' - he won't be needing any enemies with chums like these!

Andrej is 'comfortable' with his sexuality, it's what got him into trouble in the first place. But...unrequited love for a psychopath is always going to end in tears. Darko Stante stretches his characters to breaking point, they all break...in different ways. Matej Zemljic does a remarkable job in bringing Andrej to life...you really do feel for this kid, all his stupid decisions...knowing, in there somewhere, there's a good kid screaming to get out. He doesn't stand a chance!

Consquences is a tough watch...especially in these super-sensitive days when an accusation becomes an automatic indictment. Innocent until proven guilty is - seemingly - a thing of the past! This film certainly looks at responsibility...with a scathing attack on parental responsibility - when should it end? Should it ever end?

Slovenia is not known for its cinematic output, this mighty fine debut from Mr Stante has put his country on the cinematic map. It really is a remarkable piece of work.

Trailer...