Bartek’s world collapses in an instant. He finds out that his son has shot and killed a classmate. From then on, nothing is the same. A whirlwind of fear, love, responsibility and illusions leads Bartek and his son to his fiancée’s apartment, where they hatch getaway plans behind closed doors.

Bartek tries to find a car with which to flee abroad. When the woman tries to stop them, she unwittingly becomes a hostage. Desperately searching for a way to escape, Bartek is confronted not only with the law and his own guilt, but also with a reflection of his masculinity.

This powerful, tense psychological thriller intertwines family drama with a story of escape. It tells the story of people who cannot accept life as it is and cling to illusions until they collapse around them.

The director takes the viewer into the dark corners of the human psyche, where every decision is both a way out and a trap. “This Is Not Happening” asks whether it is even possible to come to terms with, let go of, and move on when the truth not only shatters our worldview, but also our sense of self.

Elise Jagomägi