When Father Was Away on Business
(1985)
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When Father Was Away on Business
(1985)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Moreno D'E Bartolli | ... |
Malik
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| Predrag Manojlovic | ... |
Mehmed Mesa Zolj
(as Miki Manojlovic)
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| Mirjana Karanovic | ... |
Senija Sena Zolj
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Mustafa Nadarevic | ... |
Zijah Zijo Zulfikarpasic
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| Mira Furlan | ... |
Ankica Vidmar
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Predrag Lakovic | ... |
Kucepazitelj Franjo
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Pavle Vujisic | ... |
Dedo Muzamer
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Slobodan Aligrudic | ... |
Ostoja Cekic
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Eva Ras | ... |
Ilonka Petrovic
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Aco Djorcev | ... |
Dr. Ljahaov
(as Aleksandar Dorcev)
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Emir Hadzihafizbegovic | ... |
Mladji ujak
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Zoran Radmilovic | ... |
Pilot
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Jelena Covic | ... |
Natasa
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Tomislav Gelic | ... |
Berberin Hamdo
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Davor Dujmovic | ... |
Brat Mirza
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Tito's break-up with Stalin in 1948 marked the beginning of not only confusing, but also very dangerous years for many hard-core Yugoslav communists. A careless remark about the newspaper cartoon is enough for Mesha to join many arrested unfortunates. His family is now forced to cope with the situation and wait for his release from prison. The story is told from the perspective of Malik, his young son who believes the mother's story about father being "away on business". Written by Dragan Antulov <dragan.antulov@altbbs.fido.hr>
The background may be confusing to viewers unfamiliar with post-WWII Balkan history, but this was never (thankfully) meant to be a big-screen social studies lesson. The film is a sentimental (but never mawkish) drama of family life behind the Iron Curtain, as seen through the often glazed eyes of an eight-year old Yugoslav boy (prone to episodes of somnambulism) whose father is arrested for making a casual criticism of an editorial cartoon. Rather than taking potshots at easy political targets, director Emir Kusterica focuses instead on smaller, more intimate conflicts, recounting moments of family affection and bitterness with an understated humor transcending national and cultural borders.