Category Archives: Other Balkan Cinema

“I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians” [2018, Romania]

Prolific Romanian director Radu Jude’s drama “Îmi este indiferent daca în istorie vom intra ca barbari” [Eng. Title: I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians] throws the cat amongst the pigeons in his home country … Continue reading

Posted in Romania | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Love and War: “Zvizdan” [Croatia 2015]

Dalibor Matanic’s film “Zvizdan” [Eng. Title: The High Sun] gives a unique perspective on a topic rarely discussed with frankness by people in what was once Yugoslavia; their hitherto simmering discontent leading to and following the rebirth of their respective nations. Using two … Continue reading

Posted in Croatia | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A changing society examined: “Niki and Flo” [2003 Romania]

At seventy, Luciane Pintilie hadn’t lost any of his sardonic wit and biting satire when he made “Niki Ardelean, colonel în rezerva” [Eng. Title: Niki and Flo], a probing examination of conflict within a society that’s changing suddenly and too … Continue reading

Posted in Lucian Pintilie, Romania | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

An ode to Sarajevo: “Sjecas li se, Dolly Bell” [1981, Yugoslavia]

Emir Kusturica declares his genius in no uncertain terms with his memorable feature-film début titled, “Sjecas li se, Dolly Bell” [Eng. Title: Do You Remember Dolly Bell?]. While it might not be as loaded with nuanced symbolism as some of … Continue reading

Posted in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Emir Kusturica | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Mucky and dark… “Zift” [2008 Bulgaria]

Javor Gardev’s début feature “Zift” is a widescreen homage to the American film noir. It is about a recently released prisoner hounded by his partner in crime from twenty years earlier for the missing portion of the loot. Set sometime … Continue reading

Posted in Bulgaria | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment