How the War Started on My Island (1996)

Although being one of the first movies to take humoristic approach towards violent break-up of Yugoslavia, this motion picture is partly based on real events that took place in September of... See full summary »

Director:

Vinko Bresan

Writers:

Ivo Bresan, Vinko Bresan

Stars:

Vlatko Dulic, Ljubomir Kerekes, Ivan Brkic

7 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vlatko Dulic	...	Blaz Gajski
Ljubomir Kerekes	...	Aleksa Milosavljevic
Ivan Brkic	...	Roko Papak
Predrag 'Predjo' Vusovic	...	Murko Munita
Bozidar Oreskovic	...	Boris Basic
Ivica Vidovic	...	Dante
Matija Prskalo	...	Lucija Milosavljevic
Goran Navojec	...	Martin
Senka Bulic	...	Spomenka
Etta Bortolazzi	...	Baba
Slobodan Milovanovic	...	Ridikul
Leon Lucev	...	Zoran Gajski
Rene Bitorajac	...	Vojnik Albanac
Mladen Vulic	...	Scepanovic
Goran Malus	...	Zoran

Storyline

Although being one of the first movies to take humoristic approach towards violent break-up of Yugoslavia, this motion picture is partly based on real events that took place in September of 1991. Few months after Croatia seceded from Yugoslavia, Federal military installations are still present with previously recruited Croatian boys trapped inside. One such installation is a garrison on a small Dalmatian island, commanded by Major Aleksa Milosavljevic. Besieged by local militia, Major Aleksa threatens to blow up ammunition depots with half an island in case of any hostile action. During the stalemate, art historian Blaz Gajski comes from Zagreb in order to rescue his son from the barracks.

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Plot Keywords:

croatian war | satire | dalmatian island | serbian agression | yugoslavism | 

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Genres:

Comedy | War

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Did You Know?

Trivia

When general Aleksa (Ljubomir Kerekes) refuses to acknowledge that the war is over and locks himself in the barrack people start gathering around the barrack trying to convince him to give up. They also bring his wife Lucija (Matija Prskalo) who takes the microphone and tries to convince him by shouting "Aleksa, vrati se doma, skuhala sam ti pastasutu!" which is translated as "Aleksa, come home I made you pasta!".

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Connections

References Povratak (1979)

User Reviews

Look at the Croatian war of independence with humour...

This film is trying to give a look on the Croatian war of independence from what was then Yugoslavia a look with humor. Although at that time there was no humor in it at all. For us who stayed alive to write these lines, I can vouch to you that it was pure hell which materialized on Earth in the period of 1991-1995.

Plot is base on a true story on the island of Vis, which harbored substantial Yugoslav Navy base which became unwelcome on the island overnight as Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia. Time was September of 1991.

I would like to tell you that I laughed with the film, but because I remember so well horrors of the war I could not laugh. I will leave that to you.

Details

Country:

Croatia

Language:

Serbian Slovenian Croatian

Release Date:

1996 (Croatia)

Also Known As:

How the War Started on My Island

Filming Locations:

Primosten, Croatia

Box Office

Budget:

HRK2,130,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Adria Film, Hrvatska Radiotelevizija (HRT)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Color:

Color