Lover, Not a Fighter (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Lover, Not a Fighter follows Andrej, who intends to withdraw from social life until a sober encounter with Miša opens the door to a fragile new romance. Set between awkward memories, family contact and the uncertainties of young love, the Slovak film blends romance, comedy and drama.

Lover, Not a Fighter is a Slovak-language romance, comedy and drama about a young man who plans to keep his world deliberately small. Andrej wants to avoid people, limit his conversations to his grandmother and steer clear of risky behavior, including climbing tall trees while drunk.

That plan changes when he meets Miša under very different circumstances from their earlier encounters. With Andrej sober for once, a conversation over Fanta creates the possibility of mutual interest—and the beginning of a difficult, tender fight for love.

Lover, Not a Fighter movie details

Story without spoilers

Andrej has decided to withdraw from social contact. His private rules include seeing no one, meeting no one and speaking only with his grandmother, alongside a warning not to climb high trees while drunk. The arrangement reflects a life shaped by avoidance and by memories he cannot fully trust.

Miša is someone Andrej had previously tried to approach at parties, although he was too intoxicated to remember how those attempts ended. When they meet again and Andrej is sober, the two finally begin talking. Their exchange leads to an interest in each other, setting up a romance that must contend with Andrej’s guarded nature and the uncertainties of young love.

What to expect

The supplied premise points to a character-centered story that combines romantic awkwardness with comic situations and a more serious emotional thread. Andrej’s unusual rules and unreliable party memories provide the comedy, while his unexpected connection with Miša gives the film its central romantic tension.

The story is framed around the early stages of a relationship rather than an established partnership. Viewers can expect a young-love narrative shaped by hesitation, social withdrawal and the challenge of moving beyond past embarrassment, without revealing how the relationship develops.

Cast and creative team

Adam Kubala and Michaela Kostková lead the cast as Andrej and Miša. The ensemble also includes František Beleš, Jaroslav Vojtek, Marián Mitaš, Simona Lewandowska, Jaroslava Pokorná, Mia Sofia Arpášová and Adam Burčík.

Martina Buchelová directs and writes the film, making Lover, Not a Fighter both her directorial and writing project based on the supplied credits.

• Adam Kubala
• Michaela Kostková
• František Beleš
• Jaroslav Vojtek
• Marián Mitaš
• Simona Lewandowska
• Jaroslava Pokorná
• Mia Sofia Arpášová
• Adam Burčík

Release and production context

Lover, Not a Fighter is listed as a 2026 production from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is spoken in Slovak, runs for 1 hour and 48 minutes, and is produced by NOCHI film. The supplied release date is September 17, 2026.

Production companies: NOCHI film

Movies Dock view

With its mix of romance, comedy and drama, Lover, Not a Fighter centers on an unlikely change in direction: a person determined to avoid connection finds one through a simple, sober conversation. Its premise places Andrej and Miša’s tentative relationship at the heart of the film while leaving room for both awkward humor and emotional uncertainty.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb