Skinning

Skinning

Year: 2010

Runtime: 97 mins

Language: Serbian

Director: Stevan Filipović

DramaActionCrime

Life can be a harsh game where one mistake sends you straight to hell. Novica, a top mathematics student at a Belgrade high school, tries to shed his geek reputation. Influenced by his friend Relja, he joins the skinhead subculture, confronting violence, hooliganism and racism. He dangerously embraces the ideology and climbs the gang hierarchy.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Skinning yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Skinning (2010)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Skinning (2010). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 2000s (around 2008-2009)

Set during the late 2000s in Belgrade, against the backdrop of post-Kosovo independence tensions. Protests outside the American embassy anchor the film's opening, signaling political volatility. The story follows a math-obsessed high school student navigating school life and a radicalized subculture.

Location

Belgrade, Serbia

Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, serves as the film's backdrop, blending urban streets, schools, and public protests. The city hosts a high school math environment with gifted students and competitions, alongside a tense political climate reflected in protests outside the American embassy after Kosovo's 2008 declaration. The narrative threads through Belgrade's neighborhoods, universities, and football culture as a microcosm of post-1990s Serbia.

🗺️ Belgrade 🎓 Academic setting 🏙️ City life

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:37

Main Characters – Skinning (2010)

Meet the key characters of Skinning (2010), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Novica (Nikola Rakočević)

A timid, math-obsessed high school student from Belgrade who excels in competitions but struggles with social life. He is pressured into helping Relja cheat and is gradually drawn into the skinhead world, flirting with Mina and facing consequences as violence enters his life.

❗️ Protagonist 🧠 Intellectual 🤝 Peer pressure

Relja (Viktor Savić)

A confident, talented mathematician and the group’s leader who uses charm and intimidation to recruit others into the skinhead scene. He fuels hostility, organizes confrontations, and frames others to maintain his position within the group.

❗️ Antagonist 🔥 Radicalization 🧠 Calculated

Mina (Bojana Novaković)

Relja’s girlfriend who lures Novica into the skinhead circle with seduction. Her presence signals how affection and manipulation can pull a vulnerable teen toward extremist groups.

💄 Seduction ♟️ Influence ❗️ Group member

Svarog (Bojan Lojković)

A computer-savvy member of the group who culture-techs the underground space they occupy. He represents the tech-enabled facet of modern extremist subcultures.

💻 Tech-savvy 🧩 Group member 🧠 Strategist

Inspektor Milutin (Nikola Kojo)

A police inspector who, alongside Lidija, begins to question Novica and the group's activities. His perspective highlights corruption and moral ambiguity within law enforcement.

🚓 Authority ⚖️ Corruption 🕵️‍♂️ Investigation

Inspektorka Lidija (Nataša Tapušković)

A young policewoman who suspects Novica’s atypical profile and offers help and guidance. She represents empathy and the potential for intervention before violence escalates.

🕊️ Compassion 👁️ Observation 🚔 Law enforcement

Profesor Hadži-Tankosić (Predrag Ejdus)

A university professor whose lecture exposes the audience to extremist ideas, linking academic rhetoric to radicalization.

🎓 Intellectual 💬 Persuasion 🧭 Influence

Mirko (Milan Tanasković)

Novica’s stoner cousin, who serves as a contrasting social circle and a counterpoint to Novica’s more studious life.

👤 Family 🧪 Counterpoint 🗺️ Social life

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:37

Major Themes – Skinning (2010)

Explore the central themes of Skinning (2010), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🔥 Radicalization

The story traces how Novica is pulled from academic excellence into a racist subculture led by Relja. It shows peer pressure, seduction, and the allure of belonging that radicalizes a vulnerable teen. The film then escalates to violence, culminating in a murder, highlighting the cost of extremist ideologies.

⚖️ Moral Dilemma

Novica's choice to help Relja during the cheating incident and his subsequent silence about Stanislav reveals a conflict between loyalty, fear, and personal ethics. Lidija's insistence that Novica seek help shows the possibility of redemption, though consequences linger. The film explores how small acts of omission can transform a person's moral landscape.

🗞️ Media and Politics

The opening news footage juxtaposes real-world protests with the character's arc, showing how media frames political events and personal identity. The Kosovo independence context colors the youths' worldview and justifies violent rhetoric for some characters. The film suggests media and politics are co-constructors of social fear.

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:37

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about radicalization and extremist subcultures like Skinning

Harrowing stories of ordinary individuals pulled into violent extremist worlds.If you were gripped by the harrowing transformation in Skinning, explore more movies about radicalization and extremist subcultures. These films dissect the allure of violent ideologies, the process of gang initiation, and the tragic moral unravelling of characters who lose themselves in a quest for power and identity.

grimharrowingradicalizingbrutaloppressiveanxiousviolentatmospheric

Narrative Summary

These stories typically follow a linear, downward spiral. A vulnerable or searching individual, often young, is introduced to a tight-knit group offering purpose and identity. Through a series of escalating tests and acts of violence, the protagonist sheds their old self, embraces a harsh new ideology, and gains status within the group, culminating in a devastating loss of innocence.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are united by their unflinching examination of how individuals are radicalized. They share a dark, oppressive tone, a steady pacing that builds a sense of inevitability, and a heavy emotional weight derived from witnessing a character's moral collapse from a relatable starting point.

Gritty urban crime dramas with moral collapse like Skinning

Gritty, character-driven stories of crime set against a grim urban backdrop.For viewers who appreciated the grim urban atmosphere and heavy themes of Skinning, this collection highlights similar gritty crime dramas. Discover movies that explore identity crises within oppressive cityscapes, where characters make tragic choices that lead to violence and a profound sense of moral decline.

grimoppressiveviolentatmosphericanxiousbrutalgrittyharrowing

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a protagonist, often from a disadvantaged or pressured background, becoming entangled in a local criminal hierarchy. The plot moves steadily through a series of escalating violent encounters and ethical compromises. The urban environment feels claustrophobic and inescapable, mirroring the character's internal confinement as they spiral deeper into a life of crime, with little hope for redemption.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared mood of grim oppression, their high-intensity portrayal of violence, and their focus on the psychological and social factors that lead to criminality. They create a cohesive experience through a steady, deliberate pace and a consistently dark tone that offers no easy answers.

Unlock the Full Story of Skinning

Don't stop at just watching — explore Skinning in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Skinning is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Skinning Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Skinning, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Skinning Summary

Skinning Timeline

Track the full timeline of Skinning with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Skinning Timeline

Skinning Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Skinning that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Skinning Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Skinning

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Skinning: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Skinning