Italian Premiere of the Film “Whites Wash at Ninety”
Italian Premiere
“Whites Wash at Ninety”
“Whites Wash at Ninety”
Makes Its Italian Premiere in Udine
Marko Naberšnik’s film, co-produced by Quasar Film and based on Bronja Žakelj’s autobiographical novel, is coming to Italian audiences after being the most-watched film in Slovenian theaters in 2025.
On Monday , October 26, 2026, at 8:00 p.m., the Cinema Visionario in Udine will host the Italian premiere of “Whites Wash at Ninety”(Belo se pere na devetdeset). The film will also be screened on Tuesday, October 27, and Wednesday, October 28, in the original Slovenian version with Italian subtitles.
For Quasar Film, the main international partner of the Slovenian production company Perfo Production, the screening in Udine is a particularly significant event: the film is being presented to Italian audiences in the region that contributed to its creation by hosting part of the filming and involving local professionals in the musical score and post-production.
The feature film is based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by Bronja Žakelj, published in Italy by Bottega Errante Edizioni in a translation by Michele Obit. A publishing sensation in Slovenia, the book recounts the author’s upbringing, family ties, loss, and experience with illness, told in a voice that balances pain with a lucid and ironic perspective on life. Žakelj also contributed to the film adaptation, co-writing the screenplay with Naberšnik.
The film follows Bronja from childhood through adulthood. Her story begins in Ljubljana, within a family that is the center of her world. The loss of her mother and, later, her own battle with cancer change the course of her life. The narrative spans nearly three decades, from the 1980s to the early 2000s, interweaving family events with the transformations of Europe and the breakup of Yugoslavia. At the heart of it all is the journey of a woman searching for her own way of life, even as her points of reference crumble.
Presented in 2025 in the Open Air section of the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival, “Whites Wash at Ninety” went on to achieve significant success at the box office: it was the most-watched film in Slovenia in 2025. This reception has accompanied the film’s international run and now precedes its screening in Udine.
Six countries were involved in the production of the film : Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. Perfo Production, the lead production company, was joined by Quasar Film, Kinorama, Biberche, Protos Film, and Black Cat Production. As part of this collaboration, Quasar served as the Italian partner, participating in the film’s production and post-production.
The project was carried out with funding from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Film Commission and PromoTurismoFVG, and with support from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Audiovisual Fund. It also received support from Eurimages, the Council of Europe’s fund dedicated to European film cooperation and the support of international co-productions.
The connection to Friuli-Venezia Giulia is also evident in the locations chosen for filming. After an initial phase in Trieste, production continued in Udine, Povoletto, Torviscosa, and Gonars, with the involvement of local crew members. The screening at the Visionario thus brings the film back to one of the regions that hosted its production.
The artistic and technical contributions to Quasar include the original soundtrack by Luca Ciut, color correction by Filippo Di Primio, and audio post-production by Francesco Morosini. Music, color grading, and sound have accompanied the reconstruction of the story’s various time periods, helping to define its atmosphere and narrative continuity.
For us at Quasar Film, presenting “Whites Wash at Ninety” in Udine means sharing with the audience the result of a project that brought together production companies, institutions, and professionals from six countries, with active participation from our local community.
The screening will take place at the Cinema Visionario in Udine on Monday, October 26, at 8:00 p.m., with additional screenings on October 27 and 28, in the original Slovenian with Italian subtitles.
