What Iva Recorded (2005) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A birthday recording exposes domestic strain, social embarrassment, and jealousy during one increasingly chaotic family gathering.

Story Structure — 6 Plot Phases

A Birthday Under Observation

A birthday camcorder turns the family apartment into the film's viewpoint. Željka's domestic perfectionism and Božo's commanding behavior establish a tense household before the business dinner.

Key Events

• Birthday Camcorder Gift — A teenager receives a digital camcorder and begins recording the household. Location: Family apartment
• Apartment Filming Begins — The household is observed through the camcorder during the birthday afternoon. Characters: Željka, Božo Location: Family apartment
• Perfectionist Housekeeping — Željka maintains domestic order while dealing with personal problems through drinking. Characters: Željka Location: Family apartment
• Commands In The Home — Božo gives forceful orders to family members inside the apartment. Characters: Božo, Željka Location: Family apartment
• Business Dinner Plan — Božo organizes a family dinner to support an important business negotiation. Characters: Božo, Željka Location: Family apartment

The Dinner Requires Translation

Božo arranges a family dinner around an important business negotiation. When the household cannot communicate with the German guest, a purported polyglot is invited to help.

Key Events

• Business Dinner Plan — Božo organizes a family dinner to support an important business negotiation. Characters: Božo, Željka Location: Family apartment
• Uncle Arrives — The family's happy-go-lucky uncle arrives and becomes fascinated by the camera. Location: Family apartment
• Language Barrier Emerges — The family realizes nobody present can communicate with the German business guest. Characters: Božo Location: Family apartment
• Interpreter Is Invited — A friend described as a polyglot is invited to solve the communication problem. Location: Family apartment
• Nina Enters — Nina arrives and joins the family gathering as an apparent language mediator. Characters: Nina, Božo, Željka Location: Family apartment

Nina Changes The Room

Nina charms the guest but is exposed as an escort. Željka responds with open hostility, while Božo remains comparatively stoic, increasing the gathering's social tension.

Key Events

• Nina Enters — Nina arrives and joins the family gathering as an apparent language mediator. Characters: Nina, Božo, Željka Location: Family apartment
• Nina Charms The Guest — Nina successfully charms the visiting business guest during the gathering. Characters: Nina, Božo, Željka Location: Family apartment
• Occupation Revealed — The family discovers that Nina is actually an escort. Characters: Nina, Željka, Božo Location: Family apartment
• Hostile Reaction — Željka displays open animosity toward Nina, while Božo reacts more stoically. Characters: Željka, Nina, Božo Location: Family apartment
• Dinner Tension Builds — The planned dinner continues under strained social and emotional conditions. Characters: Željka, Božo, Nina Location: Family apartment dining area

A Ruined Family Dinner

The strained dinner reaches a practical crisis when food is spilled on Nina's clothes. The group leaves the apartment and relocates the evening to a restaurant.

Key Events

• Dinner Tension Builds — The planned dinner continues under strained social and emotional conditions. Characters: Željka, Božo, Nina Location: Family apartment dining area
• Dinner Spills On Nina — Željka accidentally spills the family dinner onto Nina's clothes. Characters: Željka, Nina, Božo Location: Family apartment dining area
• Restaurant Decision — The group decides to leave the apartment and continue the evening at a restaurant. Characters: Željka, Božo, Nina Location: Family apartment
• Restaurant Gathering — The family gathering resumes in a restaurant after the damaged clothing incident. Characters: Željka, Božo, Nina Location: Restaurant

The Hotel Room Pursuit

At the restaurant, the guest shows sexual interest in Željka and gives her a hotel room number. Božo reacts angrily, but the guest escapes by taxi before he can confront him.

Key Events

• Restaurant Gathering — The family gathering resumes in a restaurant after the damaged clothing incident. Characters: Željka, Božo, Nina Location: Restaurant
• Guest Shows Interest — The visiting business guest shows sexual interest in Željka, while Božo ignores it. Characters: Željka, Božo Location: Restaurant
• Hotel Number Discovered — Božo discovers that the guest gave Željka his hotel room number. Characters: Željka, Božo Location: Restaurant
• Božo Gives Chase — Božo angrily pursues the guest after learning about the hotel invitation. Characters: Božo Location: Street outside restaurant
• Taxi Escape — Božo arrives too late because the guest has already departed by taxi. Characters: Božo Location: Street outside restaurant

The Camera Goes Dark

The exhausted group returns home late in the evening. The recording ends when the camcorder is turned off, closing the observational frame.

Key Events

• Late Return Home — The exhausted group returns home late in the evening. Characters: Željka, Božo, Nina Location: Family apartment
• Recording Ends — The birthday recording ends when the camcorder is turned off. Location: Family apartment

Story Breakdown

• Camcorder Viewpoint — The story is framed through a digital camcorder recording the household.
  • Birthday Gift — A digital camcorder is received as a fourteenth-birthday present.
  • Recording Ends — The camcorder is turned off after the exhausted group returns home.
• Household Tensions — The apartment reveals contrasting domestic habits and family pressures.
  • Perfectionist Mother — Željka maintains the household while coping through drinking.
  • Commanding Stepfather — Božo gives orders at home despite being submissive at work.
• Business Dinner Scheme — Božo uses a birthday dinner as the setting for an important business negotiation.
  • Deal Preparation — The family prepares to host Božo's German business contact.
  • Communication Crisis — Nobody in the household speaks German.
• Nina's Arrival — Nina enters as a supposed language solution and changes the social balance.
  • Polyglot Introduction — Nina is invited because she is purportedly a polyglot.
  • Guest Seduction — Nina charms the visiting business guest.
• Social Exposure — Nina's occupation becomes known and intensifies the gathering's hostility.
  • Escort Revelation — The family discovers that Nina is an escort.
  • Željka's Animosity — Željka reacts openly against Nina, unlike Božo's stoic response.
• Dinner Collapse — An accident forces the group to abandon the apartment dinner.
  • Clothes Stained — Family dinner is accidentally spilled on Nina's clothes.
  • Restaurant Relocation — The group decides to continue the evening at a restaurant.
• Jealous Pursuit — The business guest's attention toward Željka provokes Božo's angry pursuit.
  • Hotel Number — The guest gives Željka his hotel room number.
  • Taxi Escape — Božo gives chase but arrives after the guest has left by taxi.

Directed by

Tomislav Radić

Key Cast

• Anja Šovagović-Despot — Željka
• Ivo Gregurević — Božo
• Boris Svrtan — Darko
• Maša Mati Prodan — Iva
• Barbara Prpić — Nina