Sve pet

Lidija is 37 now. She was born in a small village on the Croatian coast. At the age of 19, she went to Amsterdam where she was promised a job as a waitress. As many other girls from Eastern Europe, she ended up in a window of the Red Light District. But Lidija was not an “ordinary” prostitute. She had some charisma that make people remember her even today, now that she has returned home to Croatia. She modelled for Playboy, acted in porn movies, and worked as a waitress, babysitter and pet-shop cashier, but Lidija always ended up back in her window. Now, after 15 years of leading that life, she has come home to start a new chapter, be a mother and speak openly about her past. For a short while, she becomes a tabloid press sensation, but then she is left alone, with no possibilities to find a proper job. In the end, Lidija and her baby return home to her mother and sister. Dana Budisavljevic, first-time director but an experienced producer for the independent film company Factum, followed Lidija for more than two years. She managed to unveil many sides of a person's struggle to regain a so-called normal life and be accepted. The documentary, shot in Amsterdam and Croatia, is made with a lot of passion and subtle humour. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)