The Living and the Dead (2007)
"Zivi i mrtvi" (original title)

In 1943, group of Croatian soldiers overtake a strategically important point in western Bosnia with a goal to destroy a group of communist partisans. On the way they met some supernatural ... See full summary »

Director:

Kristijan Milic

Writers:

Josip Mlakic (book), Ivan Pavlicic,

Stars:

Filip Sovagovic, Velibor Topic, Slaven Knezovic

11 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Filip Sovagovic	...	Tomo / Martin
Velibor Topic	...	Vijali
Slaven Knezovic	...	Coro
Marinko Prga	...	Mali
Borko Peric	...	Robe
Miro Barnjak	...	Ivo
Bozidar Oreskovic	...	Zapovjednik
Enes Vejzovic	...	Ferid / Vojnik ABIH u kolibi
Izudin Bajrovic	...	Stojan
Ljubomir Jurkovic	...	Semin
Robert Roklicer	...	Satnik Dane Boro
Zvonko Zecevic	...	Natporucnik Knez
Dragan Suvak	...	Streljani Partizan
Nino Soric	...	Pejo
Nermin Omic	...	Masni / Domobran

Storyline

In 1943, group of Croatian soldiers overtake a strategically important point in western Bosnia with a goal to destroy a group of communist partisans. On the way they met some supernatural phenomena, and the action itself went very badly because the partisans ambushed them. The main character Martin inherits silver cigarette case from a dying soldier. This act connects to the story in 1993 when we meet Martins grandson Tomo. He is one of six soldiers of the Croatian army who have come to the same place in Bosnia to meet the same phenomena and similar fate.

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Plot Keywords:

parallel story | ghost | based on novel

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Genres:

Fantasy | War | Horror

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Details

Country:

Croatia Bosnia and Herzegovina

Language:

Croatian

Release Date:

16 May 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Living and the Dead

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mainframe Productions, Olimp Produkcija, Porta Produkcija

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

User Reviews

Absurdity of war and sameness of wars

I saw this film at the 2007 Sarajevo Film Festival. It shows the parallels between the Bosnian war and the partisan struggle of World War Two. Especially poignant scenes are numerous. For example, when the patrol has killed everyone at an outpost they've come across. A member of the patrol remarks that one of the dead they killed went to school with him. At another point, the patrol look across a field and see the campfires of the long-dead World War Two partisans -- or was it fire eating the souls of the dead, as described in the Koran? Double entendre. The final scene has the departed soldiers standing together, the dead partisans from World War Two and the dead member of the patrol in the Bosnian War, standing together in the graveyard. This movie is a masterpiece of design and of photography.