For two years, Free follows the path to freedom of a group of people with intellectual disabilities that are locked away in Croatian institutions. The only things that Ivan, Enes, Tina, Kruno, Mirko, Tomo have in common is that they are outcasts of society and they dream of freedom: we see them institutionalised and we watch what it’s like to be isolated, deprived of privacy and of one’s rights to make decisions regarding their own life.
One day they are informed that they will be released. After decades spent in institutions, a new beginning awaits them: Ivan has always wanted to be a police officer, Enes buys a video camera and starts to document his everyday life, Tina and Kruno want to get married, Mirko and Tomo dream of becoming football coaches at their favourite local club, Silvia starts singing in the church choir, Andjelko is trying to find a girl and a job... The camera observes them, capturing their perspective on the biggest change of their lives while they try to fulfil their long-postponed dreams. It is a good opportunity for all of us, those who never had anything to do with these institutions, to start reflecting on our own lives, our freedoms, and the things we take for granted in our societies.

"Cuckoo's Nest" is organized in partnership with the Centre for Legal Resources, as part of the "Death Camps Next to You" campaign, funded through SEE 2009 - 2014 grants, part of NGO Fund in Romania. For official information about the SEE and Norwegian grants please access www.eeagrants.org.