The Red Colored Grey Truck

Ratko escapes from Belgrade prison and steals a red Mercedes-Benz truck. His almost pathologically obsessive love of driving trucks and his color-blindness are cited as the reasons he landed in prison to begin with. The stolen truck sets the course for the dangerous road ahead.

Suzana learns she is pregnant and contemplates having an abortion. Her father, convinced the chaos won't last, diverts their money into a speculative investment. To raise funds for the procedure, she decides to go to Dubrovnik to earn the money.

While hitch-hiking, Suzana is nearly run over by a vehicle and Ratko stops to help, offering her a ride. Their initial awkwardness gives way to a wary curiosity as they spend time together on the road. This chance encounter marks the start of an unlikely journey.

As they travel through the Yugoslav landscape, the two fugitives grow closer and finally fall in love. The bond between them deepens against a backdrop of growing tension and fear. Their relationship becomes a counterpoint to the chaos around them.

On their journey they encounter a mosaic of people: JNA soldiers, smugglers, foreign mercenaries, petty thieves, and local militias. Some meetings are humorous, others life-threatening, reflecting a country on the brink of war. Each encounter tests their resolve and resilience.

Seeing the situation deteriorate, they decide to change course toward the Yugoslav-Italian border. The shift promises a potential escape from the collapsing territory they travel through. The road becomes a race against time as conflict edges closer.

Ratko learns that his friend Švabo has become a weapon smuggler. To facilitate their escape, he travels to obtain two passports and a load of weapons to bribe local militias along their path. The plan underscores the desperation driving their journey.

At the border, the crossing is taken over by Slovenian Territorial Defence Forces. The Yugoslav People's Army is ordered to retake it, and a tank appears on the scene. The standoff elevates the danger and subverts any easy exit from the region.

A tank fires and blows up Ratko's truck, destroying their vehicle. Despite the destruction, Suzana and Ratko manage to cross the border into Italy. The near-death moment becomes a pivotal turning point toward their new life.

The couple settles in Italy after crossing the border, beginning a precarious new chapter. The move marks an end to their immediate flight and the start of a fragile stability. Their journey, though concluded for now, leaves a lasting imprint on their lives.

Suzana gives birth to a black boy in their new life in Italy. Ratko accepts him as his own son, declaring that colors mean nothing to him. The child becomes a living symbol of their resolve to defy the divisions of war.

The story closes with the couple reflecting on identity and belonging in a chaos-filled region. Ratko’s love for his son and their resilience offer a quiet, stubborn hope beyond the fighting. The film ends on a note of cautious optimism amid lingering conflict.