Vukovar, jedna prica (1994)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Boro Draskovic

Writers:

Boro Draskovic (writer)
Maja Draskovic (writer)

Release Date:

2 February 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

Nothing is stronger than love. Except war.

Plot:

This movie describes the violent break-up of former Yugoslavia from the Serbian point of view, using...

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Mirjana Jokovic	...	Ana
Boris Isakovic	...	Toma
Svetlana Bojkovic	...	Vilma
Predrag Ejdus	...	Stjepan
Mihailo 'Misa' Janketic	...	Dusan (as Mihailo Janketic)
Dusica Zegarac	...	Vera
Monika Romic	...	Ratka
Nebojsa Glogovac	...	Fadil
Mira Banjac	...	Milka
Dusan Janicijevic	...	Jovan
Olivera Markovic	...	Crna
Sonja Vukicevic	...	Ridja
Aleksandra Pleskonjic	...	Plava
Goran Danicic	...	Bruno
Predrag Lakovic	...	Kupac

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | USA | Italy

Language:

Serbo-Croatian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Vukovar, Vukovar-Srijem County, Croatia

Company:

Iskra

Trivia:

Because of its many international awards, Vukovar Poste Restante was scheduled to be shown at the 5th Annual United Nations' International Culture Conference, but was canceled 20 minutes before it was to be screened. The Croatian UN Mission had gotten the film blocked, complaining that it was Serbian propaganda.

Soundtrack:

GDE SI U OVOM GLUPOM HOTELU

Disappointing because it's been done before and done better

This film left me cold. It lacks the intelligence and style of the "Before the Rain" and the ferocity of "Pretty Village Pretty Flame." While the acting was good, the characters somehow never really move you the way they should. They remain two-dimensional. There are young lovers, the good soldier, the evil paras, etc. , but none of them have any complexity despite being in a complex situation. The editing seemed rather meandering and the pace surprisingly slow for a story set in a city that came under constant, violent siege. Some reviews cited this as an unbiased, anti-war film. For those familiar with the situation, there's an obvious political slant, and some infamous events were left out. Considering the fact that this is a Serbian film made while war still raged in Bosnia and Serbs had become international pariahs, the sympathetic treatment of Serbs isn't surprising. The surprise is that it's done subtly. As an anti-war film, it's more successful, but still lacks the force of classics like " All Quiet on the Western Front" or "Gallipoli."