Brain Drain

In near-future Serbia, where body renting is a booming business, an ambitious saleswoman rises the corporate ranks but descends morally when she starts renting out peoples’ lives as well.

It's 2023 and Serbia is becoming a luxury travel destination thanks to Playground, popularly dubbed “AirBnB for bodies”. Wealthy tourists are pouring in for short term accommodations in the bodies of hot, young locals. But Nina (30), an aspiring saleswoman, envisions a greater purpose when she starts renting lives as well. The demand for Nina’s offers skyrockets, propelling her up the corporate ladder. The higher she climbs, the more she uncovers disastrous ethical implications of the business.

Serbia, 2033. Over the past decade, not much has changed for the struggling country (surprise, surprise, still not in the EU) apart from becoming a hot luxury travel destination. And it’s all thanks to flexible government regulations and Playground, a controversial enterprise popularly dubbed “Air BnB for bodies”. Wealthy tourists are pouring to Belgrade craving the ultimate thrill - short term accommodations in the bodies of hot, young locals. But NINA (30), an aspiring saleswoman, envisions a greater purpose. Why settle for cliché rentals when they can offer truly transformative, life-changing experiences? Why rent just bodies, when she can rent actual lives as well?

This leads her to discovering IGOR (30), a manchild with a flabby stomach whose loving, authentic family life becomes a top commodity with a 4.9 rating. The demand for Nina’s authentic offers skyrockets, propelling her up the corporate ladder. But the higher she climbs, the more she uncovers shady dealings and disastrous ethical implications of her too-good-to-be-true employer. Nina finds herself torn between ambition and her own humanity, realizing that some things in life should never have a price tag. Meanwhile, Igor is renting like crazy and living his best life. Or so he reads from the customer reviews.

Writers:
Matija Dragojevic has an MA in TV writing at ifs film school in Köln. He is a laureate of Cannesseries Writer’s Residency and returned with Awake (Audience Award) - the first Eastern European series in the competition program. Matija also worked for Sundance Labs and Berlinale Series Market.

Ljubica Lukovic has a bachelors in dramaturgy and an MA from ifs Köln. Her series, Awake, premiered at Canneseries 2021 and her debut feature How I learned to fly, was a box office hit with over 230.000 admissions. She also wrote for the series Blok 27, and Absolute 100.

Producer:
Maja Popovic Milojevic is a producer with 20 years of experience and founder of Sense Production. She produced the hit How I Learned to Fly (2022) that had over 230.000 admissions and received over 20 awards. She is a graduate of the EAVE Producers and Marketing Workshop and EWA Mentoring program.