Cinema

CINEMA

The Serbian cinema had been confirmed in 1990s by the directors of prestige such as Emir Kusturica or Goran Paskaljevic. Who does not know the half foolish brave resistance of the picture “Underground” played by Lazar Ristovski or did not shake head at the “White Cat-Black Cat”? Their pictures make a part of our cultural features and we became familiar with the fiery rhythms of Gipsy drums being the trademark of Serbian cinema.

The political situation and the wars had evidently powerfully decreased the capacities of Serbia-Montenegro, but in spite of this 7 to8 pictures had been realised in this country in a bad year. The Belgrade school had still produced very good directors and a myriad of promising actors. The young Serbian talents had many a time compensated for in the festivals such as Stefan Arsenijevic with Berlin Bear 2002. In France the festival of Mediterranean pictures (especially the short meter) or the Cannes festival (Kusturica twice the gold palm) have well known Serbian directors. This is due to the national dramaturgy and the putting on the scene of the “Belgrade School”, well organized with the talented professors from before the war. From this school had come out and are keeping to be formed the directors from the spaces of whole former Yugoslavia. It should be added that the Belgrade festival favours the flourishing of young talents by its engagement and its eclecticism.

In the communist period the great directors had often been of Serbian origin. One remembers the very good “Have you ever heard a Gipsy weeping?” by Aleksandar Petrovic who had narrated about the everyday, but little usual Gipsy life of the South Serbia through a magnificent music. A year before Tito’s death an outstanding picture had been telling about the strife between different Yugoslav peoples through a chaotic travel of a country bus on the “Who is singing there?” by Slobodan Sijan. A transition picture has been that by the director Goran Markovic “Tito and myself” issued 1992. In a mild bitter comedy a little boy did as much as possible to meet Tito. Was it a sign given to Serbs in connection to their mentor?

Since a few years there appeared new talents. In the middle of 1990s, the war and the economic situation had given hard but exciting pictures. “Pretty village, pretty flame” by Srdjan Dragojevic had been narrating the story of two friends from the childhood, one Serb and one Muslim, being separated by the war in Bosnia. “The Scent of Powder ” by Goran Paskaljevic issued 1998 has been retailing through little enclosed and alert scenes about the depression of Belgraders during the international isolation to be endured. In the last two years the themes are more agreed to, and to be remembered are “Balkan Ekspres” by Aleksandar Djordjevic, “Kordon” by Goran Markovic and “Profesionalac” by Dusan Kovacevic among the better pictures. The most outstanding directors are Milos Radovic-“Mali Svet” and Stefan Arsenijevic - “Pad u raj” . The Golden Bear in Berlin 2003 in the short meter. Behind them the rising stars have the names of Zdravko Sotra and Srdan Golubovic.

Finally, let us not forget the actors among whom Miki Manojlovic, Lazar Ristovski. You remember the gay moustached boy in “Underground” and Ljubisa Samardzic have marked the 1980s. In the new generation Sergej Trifunovic and Mirjana Jokovic are already well known actors.

GORAN PASKALJEVIC

Goran Paskaljevic belongs to those Serbian cineastes who had been formed in the school of Prague and are able to change the styles. Always realized in an intimate style. These pictures have been astonished us by the beauty of their spirits. Paskaljevic is well known also in France because he is one of the rare Serbian personalities who had been able to express themselves in our media during the war years and thereafter. He has been known in France by the prize of the public in the Orleans festival he had obtained 1984 for “The warm Summer 1968”, “Tango Argentino” prized in the Montpellier festival and “America of the others” praised in Cannes 1990.

His most perfect picture had been realized 1998, “The Scent of Powder” being an ensemble of little scenes in Belgrade during the depression of embargo. All despair of the Serbian people after the years of the international isolation and the conflicts at its borders have been breathing here through the minute descriptions of the electric and deep character of Belgraders. Paskaljevic had been declared himself for the change of the regime and had been participating in the manifestations against Milosevic.

EMIR KUSTURICA

A monument of the Serbian cinema “Underground” a baroque picture about titoism led by the drums stricken thanks to the furious Gipsy music had been terminating a ten year circle where two golden palms and one golden bear had been obtained. His predilection for stories mixing up a Slav sentimentalism and the Gipsy ethno had led to the world cinema heavens. Taking advantage of a music coming directly from the Serbian ands Bosnian fields and the trubaci had given it a trademark of respect.

Sharing his life between Paris and Belgrade, the citizen of honour of Montenegro has been valued as the last defender of the “Yugoslavian” living art.

For the cinemaphils you could consult two sites about the following realisers:
Web: www.kustu.com and www.paskaljevic.com. A very attractive site in the Belgrade festival.: www.fest.org.yu.