Marijana Janković’s personal feature debut, “Home,” is set to make its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and has already garnered international attention, securing sales to Bulgaria (Beta Film), the Baltics (Estinfilm OÜ), and Singapore (September Film) through TrustNordisk. The film’s trailer has also recently debuted.

Janković, a Danish actress with Montenegrin heritage, previously explored her immigrant family’s narrative in her acclaimed short film, “Maja,” which earned the Best Narrative Short award at Tribeca. While “Maja” was a direct portrayal of her life, with Janković playing her own mother, “Home” is inspired by these experiences. Janković expressed her desire for the film itself to be the focus, stating, “This time, I don’t want to be in the spotlight; I want the film to be in the spotlight because it deserves it.”

“Home” tells the story of six-year-old Maja, who suddenly moves to Denmark with her parents, leaving her two brothers behind. Maja soon finds herself in the crucial role of her parents’ translator. Janković drew directly from her own childhood, having experienced a similar situation at a young age. She reflected on the rapid linguistic adaptation, noting, “I’ve also experienced this, because I learnt Danish in three months. It can be shocking to witness, and I’d never put my own daughter in that situation. But back then, it was necessary. Also, we were a team. It was like football. Every time I helped, it felt like I’d just scored a goal.”

Despite not describing her childhood as traumatizing, Janković found the filmmaking process to be “like therapy.” She expressed immense pride in the project, stating, “It has been worth all the blood and tears, because I told the story of my generation and of those who came before us.” As she prepared to host the Danish Film Awards, Janković also reflected on her extensive career, recalling being one of the first “foreign” actresses in Denmark. She looked up to figures like Dejan Čukić, who also appears in “Home” and hails from the same Montenegrin village, as an inspiration.

Janković openly discussed the challenges of typecasting early in her career. “I wouldn’t necessarily describe my skin as dark, but it was considered dark in Denmark. I was always cast as the Arabic or Turkish girl. At one point, I stopped accepting these roles. I went: ‘I’m Danish. Give me something else.’” Her decision to become a director was driven by a clear goal: “I wanted to change something in the system.” She aimed to challenge the prevalent portrayal of people from the Balkans as criminals in Danish films. “My father is not a criminal; he’s an honest man who left his country and abandoned his language in order to provide a better life for his children. Why isn’t anyone talking about that?” she questioned.

Janković co-wrote the script with Babak Vakili, Bo Hr. Hansen, and Emil Nygaard Albertsen. Initially, she intended to focus solely on the 1990s but expanded the scope to depict the family’s journey across generations. She also took on one of the supporting roles, which she described as playing “myself, in a way,” providing a sense of closure. The film features a notable cast, including Jesper Christensen, Zlatko Burić, Claes Bang, Trine Dyrholm, Nada Šargin, and Tara Cubrilo. Janković highlighted the support from her friends, with Trine Dyrholm, whom she considers the best Scandinavian actress, accepting a small part because she felt the story was important to tell.

Looking ahead, Janković expressed a desire to explore other themes beyond her personal life, stating, “My heart is so full of this film, but I don’t need to talk about my life anymore.” She is interested in exploring a love story between individuals from different cultures, specifically an immigrant woman and a Danish man, reflecting on her own experiences with dating and marriage. The film profoundly tackles the theme of identity and belonging, as evidenced by a poignant anecdote about her father’s wish to be buried in Montenegro. “When immigrants decide to leave, there’s a price to pay. You keep on wondering: Where do I belong? Is it where I live or where I want to be buried? This has been changing for me, too,” she shared.

Despite the deeply personal nature of its details, Janković sees “Home” as a universal story. TrustNordisk’s Nicolai Korsgaard echoed this sentiment, describing it as “a profoundly moving exploration of identity, belonging, and the sacrifices that define us,” with “universal themes and strong international appeal.” Janković reiterated, “It’s not just my story.” She believes that “every foreigner and every immigrant will recognize something here,” citing a previous experience where a girl from Chile resonated with “Maja.” Janković views honesty as her calling and aims to direct more stories about immigrants that foster connection and understanding, countering fear among people.