Neighbour (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Set amid student protests in a divided Belgrade, Neighbour follows a police officer whose recognition of a young man during a violent clash becomes an unsettling personal obsession. This 15-minute Serbian drama-thriller examines the tension between professional duty and private conviction without revealing how that conflict unfolds.

Neighbour is a 2026 Serbian drama-thriller directed by Dan Grabnar and written by Filip Rutić. Running for 15 minutes, the film places a police officer inside the unrest of student protests in a deeply divided Belgrade.

Its central conflict begins when the officer recognizes the young man he is beating during a violent confrontation. From that moment, the incident follows him, turning a public clash into a deeply personal crisis.

Neighbour movie details

Story without spoilers

The film centers on Ivan, a police officer working amid student protests in Belgrade. During a violent clash, he recognizes Marko, a young man involved in the confrontation, while beating him. The recognition does not end with the protest; instead, it develops into an obsession that challenges Ivan’s understanding of professional duty and personal conviction.

With its brief runtime, Neighbour focuses tightly on the consequences of one disturbing encounter rather than presenting a broad account of the protests. The supplied premise frames the story around moral conflict, recognition and the pressure created when institutional responsibility collides with a personal connection.

What to expect

Neighbour combines drama and thriller elements within a compact 15-minute format. Its setting is shaped by student protests, police violence and social division in Belgrade, while its narrative remains focused on one officer’s psychological response to a violent encounter.

Viewers can expect a serious, contemporary premise involving police brutality, a student movement and the uneasy boundary between following professional orders and confronting personal beliefs. The film’s short length suggests a concentrated approach, with the central incident providing the basis for its tension.

Cast and creative team

Milan Marić plays Ivan, the police officer at the center of the story, while Arsenije Arsić plays Marko. The cast also includes Nenad Gvozdenović as Butcher, Neva Antonijević as Girlfriend, Jovan Semi Pjević as Friend, Miodrag Pjević as Cop, Žuća as Ares, Rista Milutinović as Police Sergeant in voice, Boško Puletić as Grandpa and Bratislav Braca Vasilić as Citizen.

Dan Grabnar directed Neighbour, from a screenplay by Filip Rutić.

• Milan Marić as Ivan
• Arsenije Arsić as Marko
• Nenad Gvozdenović as Butcher
• Neva Antonijević as Girlfriend
• Jovan Semi Pjević as Friend
• Miodrag Pjević as Cop
• Žuća as Ares
• Rista Milutinović as Police Sergeant (voice)
• Boško Puletić as Grandpa
• Bratislav Braca Vasilić as Citizen

Release and production context

Neighbour is listed as a 2026 release with a release date of August 17, 2026. The film is marked as released, has a runtime of 15 minutes, and was produced in Serbia. Its spoken language is Serbian, and its production company is Fakultet Dramskih Umetnosti Beograd (FDU).

Production companies: Fakultet Dramskih Umetnosti Beograd (FDU)

Movies Dock view

Neighbour presents a tightly focused story about the personal consequences of violence during a period of public unrest. Its short running time, Serbian setting and emphasis on one officer’s growing obsession give the film a contained framework for examining the conflict between institutional duty and individual conscience.

Film data:
TMDB