SPARE PARTS aka REZERVNI DELI
Year: 2003
UK: Soda Pictures
Cast: Peter Musevski, Aljosa Kovacic, Primoz Petkovsek, Valter Dragan, Aleksandra Balmazovic, Vladimir Vlaskalic, Verica Nedeska, Petre Arsovski, Idris Gadour, Valentina Gramosli, Zoran Ljutkov, Tarek Rashid, Metka Trdin
Director: Damjan Kozole
Country: Slovenia
Language: Slovenian (English subtitles)
UK: 87 mins
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language
UK Release Date: 12 March 2004
Synopsis
The New Europe
Krsko, a small industrial town near the southern Slovenian border with Croatia, has the only Slovene nuclear power plant based at the outskirts of the city. Against the backdrop of a rundown former communist state, the country is looking forward to change that potentially lucrative membership to the EU may bring to its people - with the exception of Ludvik.
Ludvik, a former national speedway champion, is a bitter widower who transports illegal immigrants every night from the Croatian to the Italian border in his van. Ludvik's boss decides to send young Rudi to become his assistant.
On the first drive, Ludvik provokes and challenges the inexperienced Rudi, who is already uneasy about his new job. He is particularly appalled by the treatment of one Macedonian girl in their first shipment of immigrants. But after returning home to Krsko, the two get drunk and become friends. They begin going to races together and almost every night transport immigrants from all over the world past the nuclear plant. Rudi quickly loses his moral reservations and becomes acclimatised to his new situation.
Business is good. Rudi begins to get along with Drago and Rajc, the two contacts from the other side of the border. Rudi is soon able to take over some responsibility from his boss. But the situation becomes more complicated by the appearance of Angela, the new speedway champion's girlfriend. Angela meets Rudi at a speedway party and tells him that Ludvik is dying. Ludvik has started drinking urine again - a self-administered tonic for his failing health. Rudi suspects the cancer is a result of living close to Krsko's prided power plant.
The relationship with Ludvik is threatened when Rudi fails to meet his contact at the border. Ludvik is furious and tells him he never wants to see Rudi again, thinking he is trying to double cross him. He reminds Rudi that there are many others who would quickly take Rudi's place in his business.
Lost without Ludvik and drinking heavily, Rudi tries to apologise for his mistake especially now Angela claims to be pregnant with his child. On the next shipment of immigrants, an African family dies in the trunk of Drago's car and Rudi helps clear the bodies before continuing with his work that night.
Ludvik dies. Rudi, full of remorse, attends the funeral with Angela. But it's not long before Rudi is back at the speedway watching races and waiting for a new assistant his boss has sent to him....