Slavonia

The end of the 1980s.Police inspector Khouri from Zagreb goes to a small town in Slavonia to help with the investigation into a series of teenage suicides. Three students from the local high school have hanged themselves on the same spot in a nearby woods in the last 10 days. Today, on a day of mourning, a fourth case happened – this time only an attempted suicide. The boy somehow survived. Inspector Khouri comes from Zagreb with his female trainee and the police commissioner. The case is being given more attention due to its high profile and delicate nature. Khouri builds the story of the deceased, the town and their relationship with it by questioning friends and family and examinin the scene of the incident. The families react to the events and the investigation differently. The deceased were normal, average high school kids. Except for a few seemingly unimportant events, they were no different from their peers. Most of the local policemen interpret Khouri`s arrival as an attack on their competence and respond with passive insubordination and disregard. Junior inspector Zeč is the only one who stands out and wins Khouri`s respect. (excerpt)