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The Constitution (2016) movie poster

Characters & Themes

The Constitution (2016) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 90 mins · Croatian
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Directed by
Rajko Grlić
Starring
Željko Königsknecht, Dejan Aćimović, Nebojša Glogovac, Jelena Jovanova, Robert Ugrina, Daria Lorenci Flatz

Four vastly different individuals residing in the same apartment building initially avoid each other due to contrasting lifestyles, beliefs, and backgrounds. Unexpected misfortune forces them into contact, intertwining their lives and challenging deeply ingrained prejudices concerning wealth, sexual orientation, nationality, and religion. Through painful experiences, they gradually begin to understand and recognize the shared humanity that connects them all.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (3)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (4)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Every angle
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3 main characters · contains spoilers

The Constitution Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of The Constitution (2016), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Vjekoslav Kralj (Nebojša Glogovac)

    A high school history professor who is openly homosexual and a transvestite, yet staunchly nationalist due to his father’s influence. He struggles with hatred toward Serbs while revealing vulnerability through memories of love, loss, and a contemplated suicide. His complex identity and personal history drive the conflicts that unfold with his neighbors.

    • 🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+
    • 🗺️ Nationalism
    • 💔 Trauma
    • 🤝 Complex relationships
  • Ante Samardžić (Dejan Aćimović)

    A police officer married to Maja, he is an ethnic Serb navigating a Croatian citizenship exam and his own dyslexia. He becomes entangled in tensions with Vjekoslav, while showing commitment to his wife and attempts to move forward in a society shaped by memory of war. His actions oscillate between loyalty, frustration, and the urge for understanding.

    • 👮‍♂️ Law and order
    • 🗺️ Interethnic tension
    • 🧠 Dyslexia
    • 💔 Marital strain
  • Maja Samardžić (Ksenija Marinković)

    A nurse and neighbor who helps Vjekoslav’s father and becomes involved in Vjekoslav’s life. She carries the weight of a miscarriage and pursues adoption as a path to family, offering compassion and practical support. Her empathy drives the bond that gradually transforms the neighbors’ relationships.

    • 🤝 Compassion
    • 🏥 Caregiving
    • 👪 Family building
    • 💡 Empathy

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:52

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Setting

Where and When Does The Constitution Take Place?

The setting of The Constitution (2016): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Early 21st century

Set in contemporary Croatia, the narrative unfolds in present-day Zagreb. It weaves everyday urban life with the lingering memories of the Yugoslav Wars that shape attitudes and relationships. The setting captures a society negotiating national identity, assimilation, and personal freedom.

Location

Downtown Zagreb, Croatia

The story unfolds in a single apartment building in downtown Zagreb, reflecting a dense urban environment where neighbors live in close proximity yet harbor mistrust. The city provides a backdrop for clashes of ethnicity, sexuality, and politics that inform the characters’ choices. Its modern Croatian setting anchors the film’s exploration of personal and social conflict.

  • 🏙️ Urban
  • 🌐 Multicultural
  • ⚖️ Tension
  • 🧭 Civic Life

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:52

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4 major themes

The Constitution Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is The Constitution (2016) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Identity

    The film centers on private identities—LGBTQ life and nontraditional relationships—against the pull of public nationalism. Vjekoslav’s self-presentation, past trauma, and the reactions of others reveal how personal truth can clash with cultural norms. The story uses intimate moments to examine acceptance, vulnerability, and the costs of hiding who you are.

  • Prejudice

    Prejudice threads through conversations about Serbs, Croats, and the police, highlighting how stereotypes fuel fear and hostility. Characters confront the ways history and ideology shape present actions and judgments. The film suggests that bigotry compromises empathy, even as individuals seek connection.

  • Grief

    Trauma and bereavement drive much of the characters' decisions, from Bobo’s death to the looming threat of self-harm. Grief informs coping strategies, guilt, and the impulse toward despair. The story tracks moments of heartbreak that gradually yield possibilities for care.

  • Chosen family

    Facing social isolation, Maja and Ante become more than neighbors to Vjekoslav, forming a surrogate family. Their evolving bond helps Vjekoslav confront his hatred and find a path toward connection and responsibility. Adoption and godparent promises symbolize rebuilding trust across divisions.

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:52

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Character & theme questions

The Constitution Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about The Constitution (2016): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does the story take place?

The story unfolds in a single apartment building in downtown Zagreb, Croatia. This urban, multicultural setting creates a dense environment where neighbors live in close proximity yet harbor deep mistrust, providing the backdrop for conflicts involving ethnicity, sexuality, and politics.

  • zagreb
  • croatia
  • apartment building
  • setting
  • urban
  • croatian city
Q2

When is the movie set?

The film is set in early 21st century contemporary Croatia, specifically in present-day Zagreb. The narrative weaves everyday urban life with the lingering memories of the Yugoslav Wars that continue to shape attitudes and relationships among the characters.

  • contemporary
  • early 21st century
  • croatia
  • zagreb
  • time period
  • yugoslav wars
Q3

What does the movie say about identity?

The film centers on private identities, particularly LGBTQ life and nontraditional relationships, against the pull of public nationalism. Through Vjekoslav's journey, the story examines how personal truth can clash with cultural norms, revealing the costs of hiding who you are and the vulnerability required for authentic self-acceptance.

  • identity
  • lgbtq
  • sexuality
  • nationalism
  • personal truth
  • vjekoslav
Q4

How does the movie address prejudice?

Prejudice threads through conversations about Serbs, Croats, and the police, showing how stereotypes fuel fear and hostility. The film reveals how history and ideology shape present actions and judgments, suggesting that bigotry compromises empathy even as individuals seek connection.

  • prejudice
  • discrimination
  • serbs
  • croats
  • stereotypes
  • ethnicity
  • history
Q5

What role does grief play in the story?

Trauma and bereavement drive much of the characters' decisions, from Bobo's death to Vjekoslav's contemplated suicide. Grief informs coping strategies, guilt, and the impulse toward despair, but the story also tracks moments where heartbreak gradually yields possibilities for care and healing.

  • grief
  • loss
  • death
  • trauma
  • suicide
  • bereavement
  • sorrow
Q6

What is the chosen family theme about?

Facing social isolation, Maja and Ante become more than neighbors to Vjekoslav, forming a surrogate family. Their evolving bond helps him confront his hatred and find connection. Adoption and godparent promises symbolize rebuilding trust across cultural and personal divisions.

  • chosen family
  • adoption
  • godparent
  • neighbors
  • trust
  • connection
  • reconciliation
Q7

Who is Vjekoslav Kralj?

Vjekoslav is a high school history professor who is openly homosexual and a transvestite, yet holds staunchly nationalist views shaped by his father's influence. He struggles with deep hatred toward Serbs while carrying past trauma, memories of love and loss, and contemplated suicide, his complex identity drives the central conflicts with his neighbors.

  • vjekoslav
  • professor
  • homosexual
  • transvestite
  • nationalist
  • identity
  • trauma
Q8

Who is Ante Samardžić?

Ante is a police officer married to Maja who is ethnic Serb while navigating Croatian citizenship and dealing with dyslexia. He becomes entangled in tensions with Vjekoslav while showing loyalty to his wife and attempts to integrate into a society still shaped by memory of war, oscillating between frustration and understanding.

  • ante
  • police officer
  • serb
  • croatian citizenship
  • dyslexia
  • marriage
  • tension
Q9

Who is Maja Samardžić?

Maja is a nurse and neighbor who helps care for Vjekoslav's father and becomes involved in Vjekoslav's life. She carries the weight of a miscarriage and pursues adoption as a path to family. Her empathy and compassion drive the bond that gradually transforms the neighbors' relationships.

  • maja
  • nurse
  • adoption
  • miscarriage
  • compassion
  • neighbor
  • care
Q10

What cultural tensions does the movie explore?

The movie explores tensions between Croats and Serbs, the legacy of the Yugoslav Wars, and how historical conflicts inform present-day relationships. These cultural divisions are embodied in the characters' contrasting backgrounds and the suspicions they hold toward one another living in the same building.

  • croatia
  • serb
  • croat cultural tension
  • yugoslav wars
  • zagreb
  • society
  • division
Q11

What is the main message of the film?

The film conveys a hopeful message about reconciliation and recognizing shared humanity despite deep-seated prejudices. Through painful experiences, the characters gradually understand that across differences in sexuality, ethnicity, and background, they are connected by common grief, vulnerability, and the need for connection, forming a found family despite lingering societal hatred.

  • message
  • meaning
  • reconciliation
  • humanity
  • prejudice
  • hope
  • found family

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Constitution, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Constitution tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Found family stories like in The Constitution

Bitter rivals and lonely souls become an unexpected support system. If you liked The Constitution, explore more movies about unlikely communities. These films feature groups of disparate individuals who overcome deep-seated prejudice and personal trauma to form a powerful, found family bond. They share a steady pacing, medium emotional weight, and a bittersweet yet hopeful tone.

  • found family
  • cautiously optimistic
  • uncomfortable
  • reflective
  • grieving
  • belonging
  • Tone: bittersweet, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a pattern of initial isolation and conflict, often due to societal prejudices or personal baggage. A pivotal event forces interaction, leading to uncomfortable confrontations and gradual vulnerability. The arc is defined by small acts of understanding that accumulate into a transformative, deeply human connection.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared emotional journey from alienation to communion. They balance the heaviness of real-world conflict with the uplifting payoff of human connection, creating a uniquely bittersweet and hopeful viewing experience centered on the power of empathy.

Intimate character dramas like The Constitution

Character-driven stories where tense dialogues unpack deep-seated trauma. Find movies similar to The Constitution that focus on intimate character studies. These films prioritize dialogue over action, using a steady pace to explore heavy themes like grief and reconciliation within a small, interconnected group. They are perfect for viewers who enjoy reflective, somber yet hopeful stories.

  • somber
  • reflective
  • tense
  • grieving
  • uncomfortable
  • psychological
  • Tone: somber, reflective, tense
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot is secondary to the psychological unfolding of characters. Conflict arises from clashing worldviews and the revelation of past traumas within a constrained environment. The story progresses through a series of escalating conversations that force characters to confront their own biases and pain, leading to personal transformation.

Why they belong together: This thread groups films by their shared method of storytelling: using dialogue and confinement to create tension and emotional depth. They offer a thoughtful, reflective experience for viewers who appreciate nuanced performances and the power of conversation to change hearts and minds.

Every angle

The Constitution (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Constitution in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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