Cabaret Balkan (1998)
"Bure baruta" (original title)

In Beograd, mid-1990s, 20 people's paths crisscross one night in rage and theater. A callow youth dents a car; its owner hunts him down and trashes his father's flat. Michael, back from ... See full summary »

Director:

Goran Paskaljevic

Writers:

Dejan Dukovski (play), Dejan Dukovski,

Stars:

Mira Banjac, Ivan Bekjarev, Aleksandar Bercek

7 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mira Banjac	...	The Bosnian Serb Mother
Ivan Bekjarev	...	The Man on the Bus Who Thinks He's Tough
Aleksandar Bercek	...	Dimitri, the Crippled Ex-Cop from the Local Cafe
Vojislav Brajovic	...	Topi, the Ex-Student Revolutionary Trafficker
Azra Cengic	...	The Wife of the Bus Man Who Thinks He's Tough
Bogdan Diklic	...	John, the VW Driver
Milena Dravic	...	The Lady on the Bus with the Hat and Fox Stole
Nebojsa Glogovac	...	The Chain-Smoking Taxi Driver
Mirjana Jokovic	...	Ana, the 'Flirt' on the Bus, George's Girlfriend
Dragan Jovanovic	...	Kosta, the Man with the Oar, Natalia's New Boyfriend
Mirjana Karanovic	...	Natalia, Mane's Ex-Fiancee
Predrag Manojlovic	...	Mane (Michael), the Homecoming Man (as Predrag-Miki Manojlovic)
Toni Mihajlovski	...	George, the Eternal Culprit, Ana's Boyfriend
Nebojsa Milovanovic	...	The Bosnian Serb Son Who Doesn't Want to End Up Like His Father
Dragan Nikolic	...	John's Boxer Friend

Storyline

In Beograd, mid-1990s, 20 people's paths crisscross one night in rage and theater. A callow youth dents a car; its owner hunts him down and trashes his father's flat. Michael, back from abroad, hopes to reclaim Natalia; her new, younger lover seems outclassed. A Bosnian drives a bus to eke out subsistence; his son works the Black Market for a sadist. A cabby buys drinks for a cop he crippled in revenge. Swarthy friends at a gym confess betrayals of each other; violence erupts, then one menaces a woman on a train. Another young woman, traumatized when a knife-wielding youth commandeers her bus, calls for help and ends up with a gun at her head. It's a cabaret macabre.

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Plot Keywords:

based on play

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence including an act of sexual assault, strong language and some drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Classics

Country:

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Macedonia France Greece Turkey

Language:

Serbian

Release Date:

1 August 1998 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)

Also Known As:

Cabaret Balkan

Filming Locations:

Belgrade, Serbia

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$11,774 (USA) (23 July 1999)

Gross:

$108,103 (USA) (15 October 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Canal (II), Eurimages, Gradski Kina

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

French visa # 93543.

User Reviews

truth

As truth can be defined by the observer, it is also guided by the artist. This film is as close to truth in film as one can get. The state of the Balkans is one which cannot be easily defined, but understood, if you understand its peoples. The truth of this film lies in the reactionary maelstrom that has been the Balkans for a very, very long time. The film ties the lives together of many, equally bizarre characters and events which are tied together artistically by a collage of madness and life on the edge of it. Please do not miss this film, and watch it several times if possible.