On Thursday, 21 November, principal photography began on Martin Turk’s newest fiction feature, titled Washed and Buried, on location in Val Canale, Italy. The region is known for its local rituals and traditions, which served as inspiration for the film’s story. It follows Nadja, a successful 40-year-old lawyer, who returns to her remote hometown to fulfil her late grandmother’s enigmatic final wish, making her face her with long-forgotten places and encounters, as well as hidden family truths that challenge her perception of the past.
On the occasion of the start of shooting, the director said: “Washed and Buried is both a physical and metaphysical journey for the protagonist, Nadja, as she revisits the places of her past that inevitably shape her present. Her history and fears materialise as she searches for the truth about her family—and, in turn, discovers her genuine identity”. It is his sixth feature-length effort after, among others, the noticed debut Feed Me With Your Words (2012), Don’t Forget to Breathe [+] (2019) and his latest project, the playful docu-fiction hybrid The Volta Cinema [+] (2024).
The script was written by Turk and Italian screenwriter Fabrizio Bozzetti. Croatian cinematographer Radislav Jovanov Gonzo serves as the director of photography, while Tomislav Pavlic is tasked with editing the film. Production design is handled by Mateja Medvedić, costumes by Gilda Venturini and make-up by Tina Šubic Dodočić. In front of the camera, Lara Komar will play the lead role of Nadja and will be supported by Lučka Počkaj, Vesna Jevnikar, Nejc Cijan Garlatti and Fulvio Falzarano, among others.
Washed and Buried is produced by Ida Weiss of Bela Film (Slovenia), in a co-production with Marta Zaccaron of Incipit Film (Italy) and Inja Korać of Cobra Chicks (Croatia), with national co-producers RTV Slovenija and Senca Studio also attached to the project. The production is financially backed by the Slovenian Film Centre, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Audiovisual Fund, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Film Commission, and Creative Europe – MEDIA, while technical support is provided by Slovenian outfit Viba Film Studio.