Urška Djukić’s Little Trouble Girls is a passionate, aching coming-of-age drama, exploring the sudden, unexpected arrival of burgeoning sexuality.
Director: Urška Djukić
Original title: Kaj ti je Deklica
Genre: Drama
Run Time: 89′
World Premiere: Berlin Film Festival 2025
U.K. Release: 29 August 2025
U.S. Release: TBA
Where to Watch: In cinemas in the UK & Ireland
Little Trouble Girls (Kaj ti je Deklica), the debut feature film from Urška Djukić, begins with a black screen. For a time, only the sound of breathing punctuates this moment. It is an instance of bodily connection, an immediate introduction into the intimate life of main character Lucia (Jara Sofija Ostan). Along with sound design such as this, music plays a large part in Little Trouble Girls too, with its emotional power complimenting the story of new lust and exciting experiences, despite the narrative never quite rising to the ecstatic or terrifying drama of the music itself.
Little Trouble Girls sees 16-year-old Lucia attend a summer school trip to the countryside with her all-girls choir. Here, she befriends Ana-Maria (Mina Švajger), a third year student who is popular, charismatic, and confident. The feelings that Lucia develops are left ambiguous in what exactly they are, reflecting her surprising emotional and sexual awakening, but they are explored in a deeply satisfying way by Djkuić. The actual sexual experiences that take place between Lucia and Ana-Maria are fleeting, but hugely resonant. The mark they make on Lucia and the film itself is never in doubt.
Lucia’s experiences cause as many problems as they do pleasures. Her budding sexuality disrupts her Catholic beliefs and traditional values, feeding into poor choir performances, which in turn causes friction with the choir conductor (Saša Tabaković). One particular blow-out between the two is an unforgettable moment in Little Trouble Girls, a masterclass in scriptwriting and acting from the two central figures, Ostan and Tabaković. There are flashes of brilliance such as this throughout Djukić’s film, which makes the mildly underwhelming plot that much more frustrating, especially when it gets somewhat lost by the end.
This sort of story—a burgeoning, perhaps forbidden non-heterosexual romance causing friction with traditional beliefs and religions—is not something new in film; one of the best examples of such a film is Levan Akin’s sublime And Then We Danced (2019). But despite this lack of originality, Little Trouble Girls is still immensely engaging. Much of this is down to Djukić’s command of the script; a lot of the film’s most stellar elements come from its impressive subtext and ambiguity, which coalesce to spotlight the often oppressive nature of religion and outdated societal beliefs. Some rote imagery aside, Little Trouble Girls feels like a fascinating concoction of Akin naturalism, Dea Kulumbegashvili (April) surrealism, and Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation) melodrama.
Another huge strength of Little Trouble Girls is the cast, most notably Ostan as the lead Lucia. It is a stunning central performance of repression, bubbling desire, and a tormented psychological battle. Just like the film itself, Ostan is able to say a great deal through subtlety as opposed to overt acting. She shares an indelible onscreen chemistry with the magnetic Švajger, which really enhances the film as a whole. Everything, both good and bad in Little Trouble Girls, stems from the strength and believability of this burgeoning bond. True to life, the conclusion of the film and their young relationship is left ambiguous, and whilst the soaring choral musical numbers don’t quite translate into the potency of the story, this journey of self-discovery is still immensely satisfying and well-drawn.
Little Trouble Girls (Kaj ti je Deklica): Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
16-year-old Lucia arrives at a countryside monastery for a school choir trip, immediately forming a striking bond with older student Ana-Maria. The pair’s fledging, ambiguous relationship causes excitement and tension in equal measure.
Pros:
- A fabulous ensemble cast is spearheaded by spectacular newcomer Jara Sofija Ostan
- Some scenes are spellbinding and unforgettable
Cons:
- Some imagery feels unimaginative
- Whilst engaging, the story is never as potent as it could be
Little Trouble Girls (Kaj ti je Deklica) will be released in cinemas in the UK & Ireland on 29 August 2025.
