Cinema of Serbia
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The Cinema of Serbia refers to the
film industry The film industry or motion picture industry comprises the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking, i.e., film production companies, film studios, cinematography, animation, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post ...
and films made in
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
or by Serbian filmmakers. Serbia (both as an independent state and as part of
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
) has been home to many internationally acclaimed films and directors. Many of the prominent films from the Balkans are from Serbia, and have enjoyed great commercial success.


History of cinema


Kingdom of Serbia (1896–1917)

André Carr, a representative of the
Lumière brothers Lumière is French for 'light'. Lumiere, Lumière or Lumieres may refer to: * Lumières, the philosophical movement in the Age of Enlightenment People *Auguste and Louis Lumière, French pioneers in film-making Film and TV * Institut Lumière, ...
, was the first to project a motion picture in the Balkans and Central Europe in Belgrade on 6 June 1896. He shot the first motion pictures of Belgrade the following year, but they have not been preserved. Serbian cinema dates back to 1896 with the release of the oldest movie in the Balkans, '' The Life and Deeds of the Immortal Vožd Karađorđe'', a biography about Serbian revolutionary leader,
Karađorđe Đorđe Petrović ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе Петровић, ), better known by the sobriquet Karađorđe ( sr-Cyrl, Карађорђе, lit=Black George, ;  – ), was a Serbian revolutionary who led the struggle for his country's independ ...
. A number of traveling cinemas moved through Serbia, showing films in rented halls or in tents. Stojan Nanić from Zaječar was the owner of The First Serbian Cinema company. He began screening films in the capital and other cities in 1900. During the early twentieth century, cinema became increasingly popular in Serbia. The first permanent cinema was opened in Belgrade in 1909; more cinemas opened shortly thereafter across the country. Modern-day
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( sr-Cyrl, Војводина}), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia. It lies within the Pannonian Basin, bordered to the south by the national capital ...
province was part of
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
. Cinema developed in the province at the same time as it did in Serbia, with the first cinema being opened in Sombor in 1906. Owners of pubs rented space for traveling cinema operators from abroad and soon began producing their own productions. Serbian cinema pioneers include Svetozar Botorić, the Savić brothers, the Cvetković brothers and Đoka Bogdanović. Botorić owned the cinema named Paris in the center of Belgrade. He hired camera operators from France and produced around 20 short documentaries. He went on to make films during the Balkan wars. Other notable films from this period include ''The Coronation of King Peter I'' shot in 1904. By the beginning of the
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, there were 30 established cinemas active in the Kingdom of Serbia. After the
Great Retreat The Great Retreat (), also known as the retreat from Mons, was the long withdrawal to the River Marne in August and September 1914 by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army. The Franco-British forces on the Western Fr ...
, the
Serbian army The Serbian Army ( sr-cyr, Копнена војска Србије, Kopnena vojska Srbije, lit=Serbian Land Army) is the land-based and the largest component of the Serbian Armed Forces. History Originally established in 1830 as the Army of Pr ...
founded a film section on
Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...
which documented various battles and events during the war.


Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918–1941)

Cinema was established reasonably early in Serbia with 12 films having been produced before the start of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Ernest Bošnjak was a notable filmmaker from
Sombor Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; hu, Zombor; rue, Зомбор, Zombor) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total popula ...
, who directed and produced several well-received genre films and documentaries. Other film pioneers from
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( sr-Cyrl, Војводина}), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia. It lies within the Pannonian Basin, bordered to the south by the national capital ...
are Aleksandar Lifka and Vladimir Totović. Stanislav Krakov was a notable documentary filmmaker and writer. His movie ''Golgota Srbije'' (1930) is notable for its depiction of the interwar period. In 1931, the government introduced a new state law covering the cinema, which promoted the rise of domestic production. Prior to that, most local production companies went bankrupt, because of high taxes, a lack of state policy protecting domestic companies, and the attractive offer of cheap foreign-produced films on the market for screening (mostly French, German and American). In 1932 there were more movies produced than in the whole period between 1918 and 1931. Through lobbying by foreign companies the law which favoured and protected domestic cinema was withdrawn and local production was reduced to its prior state with only a few movies produced. Serbian poet
Stanislav Vinaver Stanislav Vinaver ( sr-Cyrl, Станислав Винавер; 1 March 1891 – 1 August 1955) was a Serbian writer, poet, translator and journalist. Vinaver was born to affluent Ashkenazi Jews, Ashkenazi Jewish parents that had immigrated to Se ...
and Boško Tokin were the pioneers of
film criticism Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: Journalism, journalistic criticism that appears regularly in newspapers, magazines and other popular mass-m ...
and
film theory Film theory is a set of scholarly approaches within the academic discipline of film or cinema studies that began in the 1920s by questioning the formal essential attributes of motion pictures; and that now provides conceptual frameworks for und ...
in the country. Notable films from this period include ''Sve radi osmeha'', ''Rudareva sreća'', ''Kralj Čarlstona'', ''Grešnica bez greha'' and ''Kroz buru i oganj''. The most notable of the prewar films is Mihailo Popović's ''The Battle of Kosovo'' from 1939, while the best documentary is considered to be ''Priča jednog dana'' by Maks Kalmić.


Republic of Yugoslavia (1945—1992)


After World War II

After the victory of the
Yugoslav Partisans The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene: , or the National Liberation Army, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska (NOV), Народноослободилачка војска (НОВ); mk, Народноослобод ...
, the newly founded state formed the Federal Committee for Cinematography, which was organized into six regional centers, one for each socialist republic. The
Faculty of Dramatic Arts The Faculty of Dramatic Arts ( sr, Факултет драмских уметности, Fakultet dramskih umetnosti; abbreviated FDU) is a constituent institution of the University of Arts in Belgrade which focuses on education and research in t ...
(under the name Academy for Theatre Arts) was founded as the main education institution for education in the country. A new studio complex known as Film City in
Košutnjak Košutnjak ( sr-cyr, Кошутњак, ) is a park-forest and urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is divided between in the municipalities of Čukarica (upper and central parts) and Rakovica (lower part). With the adjoini ...
was built and several monthly film magazines were started. Most films produced after World War II were action films, adventures, partisan films, adaptations, historical dramas, documentaries and film news (chronicles of everyday life).


Partisan films

Partisan film Partisan film ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, partizanski film, партизански филм) is the name for a subgenre of war films made in FPR/SFR Yugoslavia during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In the broadest sense, main characteristics of Partisan films ar ...
s ( sr. ''Партизански филм'') appeared immediately after
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, with ''
Slavica Slavica may refer to: People * Slavica Ćukteraš (born 1985), Serbian singer * Slavica Đukić (born 1960), Serbian handball player * Slavica Ecclestone (born 1958), Croatian fashion model * Slavica Jeremić (born 1957), Serbian handball player ...
'' (1947) being the first. Partisan film is a subgenre of
war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about naval, air, or land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle scenes means that war fi ...
s, set in Nazi–occupied Yugoslavia, with the partisan
army of Yugoslavia The Yugoslav People's Army (abbreviated as JNA/; Macedonian language, Macedonian and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian language, Croatian and bs, Jugoslavenska narodn ...
as protagonists, and the armies of
Axis powers The Axis powers, ; it, Potenze dell'Asse ; ja, 枢軸国 ''Sūjikukoku'', group=nb originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated World War II and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were ...
as antagonists. These films are often characterized as having the production scale of
epic films Epic films are a style of filmmaking with large-scale, sweeping scope, and spectacle. The usage of the term has shifted over time, sometimes designating a film genre and at other times simply synonymous with big-budget filmmaking. Like epics in ...
, with an ensemble cast and emotionally intense scenes, caused solely by the tragedies of war. According to some film historians, partisan films respected Tito’s
cult of personality A cult of personality, or a cult of the leader, Mudde, Cas and Kaltwasser, Cristóbal Rovira (2017) ''Populism: A Very Short Introduction''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 63. is the result of an effort which is made to create an id ...
and rarely glorified individuals over the collective, focusing less on actors. However, for her role as a partisan doctor in '' I Was Stronger'' (1953) Mira Stupica won a
Golden Arena for Best Actress The following is a list of winners of the Golden Arena for Best Actress at the Pula Film Festival. List of winners Yugoslav Film Awards (1955–90) Croatian Film Awards (1990–present) Footnotes :A.  Although the festival was opened ...
. In the 40s and 50s director Radoš Novaković achieved great success with several partisan features: '' Dečak Mita'' (1951), '' The Sun Is Far Away'' (1953), based on the eponymous novel by
Dobrica Ćosić Dobrica Ćosić ( sr, Добрица Ћосић, ; 29 December 1921 – 18 May 2014) was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician, writer, and political theorist. Ćosić was twice awarded the prestigious NIN award for literature and Medal of Pushkin f ...
, '' Blodveien'' (1955), a Yugoslavian—Norwegian production and '' Vetar je stao pred zoru'' (1959). Other partisan films of the 40s and 50s are: '' Besmrtna mladost'' (1948), '' Barba Žvane'' (1949), '' Poslednji dan'' (1951), '' The Last Bridge'' (1954), filmed in collaboration with
East Germany East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
, '' Jedini izlaz'' (1958), '' The Sky Through the Trees'' (1958), '' Rafal u nebo'' (1958) and ''
Aleksa Dundić Aleksa Dundić or Oleko Dundich (russian: Олеко Дундич, sr, Алекса Дундић, originally Serbian ''Томо Дундић / Tomo Dundić'') (April 13, 1896 – July 8, 1920) was a Croatian''Мілорад Драгович.' ...
'' (1959), Yugoslavian–Russian film. Most of the first film stars in Yugoslavia were cast in partisan films, including:
Ljuba Tadić Ljubomir "Ljuba" Tadić ( sr-cyr, Љубомир Љуба Тадић; 31 May 1929 – 28 October 2005) was a Yugoslav actor who enjoyed a reputation as one of the greatest names in the history of former Yugoslav cinema. Biography He made his scr ...
,
Rade Marković Radomir "Rade" Marković ( sr-cyr, Радомир Раде Марковић; 14 October 1921 – 10 September 2010) was a Serbian actor. He performed in more than ninety films. He was married to actress Olivera Marković from 1945 until they div ...
,
Dragomir Felba Dragomir Felba ( sr-cyr, Драгомир Фелба; 7 July 1921 – 13 July 2006) was a Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, s ...
,
Pavle Vuisić Pavle "Paja" Vuisić ( sr-cyr, Павле "Паја" Вуисић; 10 July 1926 – 1 October 1988) was a Yugoslav actor, known as one of the most recognizable faces of former Yugoslav cinema. Biography He was born in Belgrade as Pavle Vujisić ...
,
Marija Crnobori Marija is a feminine given name, a variation of the name Maria, which was in turn a Latin form of the Greek names Μαριαμ, or Mariam, and Μαρια, or Maria, found in the New Testament. Depending on phonological rules concerning consecutiv ...
, Mihajlo Bata Paskaljević,
Dara Čalenić Dara is a given name used for both males and females, with more than one origin. Dara is found in the Bible's Old Testament Books of Chronicles. Dara רעwas a descendant of Judah (son of Jacob). (The Bible. 1 Chronicles 2:6). Dara (also know ...
, Rahela Ferari,
Severin Bijelić Severin Bijelić ( sr-cyrl, Северин Бијелић; 10 February 1921 – 28 July 1972) was a Serbian actor. He appeared in 77 films and television shows between 1949 and 1972. He starred in the 1967 film ''The Rats Woke Up'', which w ...
, Stole Aranđelović,
Branko Pleša Branko Pleša ( sr-cyr, Бранко Плеша; 6 March 1926 – 9 June 2001) was a Serbian actor and theatre director. He appeared in more than eighty films from 1949 to 1998. Filmography References External links * 1926 births 2001 ...
and
Milena Dravić Milena Dravić ( sr-Cyrl, Милена Дравић, ; 5 October 1940 – 14 October 2018) was a Yugoslav and Serbian film, television and theatre actress. Biography Born in Belgrade, Dravić became involved with performing arts at the age of fou ...
. In the 1960s, film production in Yugoslavia was growing, as many features were sponsored directly by the state. '' Captain Lechi'' (1961) was the highest grossing Yugoslav movie at the time. It was directed by
Žika Mitrović Živorad "Žika" Mitrović ( sr-Cyrl, Жика Митровић; 3 September 1921 – 29 January 2005) was a Serbian and SFR Yugoslavia, Yugoslav film director and screenwriter. He started his career as a comics artist. Mitrovic directed 20 f ...
, who directed another commercially successful film, ''
March on the Drina The ''March to the Drina'' ( sr-Cyr, Марш на Дрину, ) is a Serbian patriotic march which was composed by Stanislav Binički during World War I. Binički dedicated it to his favourite commander in the Serbian Army, Col. Milivoje Stojan ...
'', in 1964. Writers and poets from the entire country were hired to write screenplays for partisan films. Arsen Diklić penned ''March on the Drina'' and '' Destination Death'' in 1964, while
Antonije Isaković Antonije Isaković (Serbian Cyrillic: Антоније Исаковић; 6 November 1923 – 13 January 2002) was a Serbian writer and member of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts. He won the NIN Prize in 1982 for his novel ''Tren 2''. He ...
wrote '' Partisan Stories'' (1960). Velimir Bata Živojinović rose to fame as one of the most recognizable faces of partisan films. In the 1960s he played in '' Brat doktora Homera'' (1968) and '' Bloody Tale'' (1969), a film based on the song of the same name by the celebrated Yugoslav poetess
Desanka Maksimović Desanka Maksimović ( sr-Cyrl, Десанка Максимовић; 16 May 1898 – 11 February 1993) was a Serbian poet, writer and translator. Her first works were published in the literary journal ''Misao'' in 1920, while she was studying at th ...
. Živojinović played in partisan Bosnian and
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
n productions, ''
Kozara Kozara ( sr-cyrl, Козара) is a mountain in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the town of Kozarac and in the Bosanska Krajina region, bounded by the Sava River to the north, the Vrbas to the east, the Sana to the south, and the Una to the ...
'' and ''
Thundering Mountains ''Nevesinjska puška'' (English title: "Thundering Mountains") is a 1963 Yugoslav film directed by Žika Mitrović and written by Slavko Goldstein and Miomir 'Miki' Stamenkovic. It tells about Herzegovina Uprising (1875–77) Herzegovina upris ...
'' (1963) which helped him gain popularity across the country. However, he also played in ''Black Wave'' films. Young
Ljubiša Samardžić Ljubiša Samardžić ( sr-cyr, Љубиша Самарџић; 19 November 1936 – 8 September 2017), nicknamed Smoki, was a Serbian actor and director, best known as Šurda in the ''Vruć vetar'' TV series, and Inspector Boško Simić in the come ...
('' Desant na Drvar, Kozara, Eagles Fly Early'') was another actor often seen as a protagonist in Yugoslav war films. The 1969 film ''
Battle of Neretva Case White (german: Fall Weiss), also known as the Fourth Enemy Offensive ( sh, Četvrta neprijateljska ofenziva/ofanziva), was a combined Axis strategic offensive launched against the Yugoslav Partisans throughout occupied Yugoslavia during W ...
'' featured the most prominent Yugoslav actors, such as Živojinović, Samardžić, Dravić and Vuisić, but also international film stars, including
Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (russian: link=no, Юлий Борисович Бринер; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the ...
,
Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
,
Franco Nero Francesco Clemente Giuseppe Sparanero (born 23 November 1941), known professionally as Franco Nero, is an Italian actor, producer, and director. His breakthrough role was as the title character in the Spaghetti Western film '' Django'' (1966), ...
and
Sergei Bondarchuk Sergei Fyodorovich Bondarchuk (russian: Сергей Фёдорович Бондарчук, ; uk, Сергі́й Федорович Бондарчук, Serhíj Fédorovych Bondarchúk; 25 September 192020 October 1994) was a Soviet and Russian ...
. Production was lavishly financed by President Tito himself, who also served as a consultant. It was considered one of the most expensive films at the time, designed to represent Yugoslavia as a friendly communist country.
Pablo Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...
drew the film's poster. ''Battle of Neretva'' was nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in April 1970, but lost to the Algerian film '' Z''. The success of partisan films continued long after ''Battle of Neretva''. The decade began with '' The Cyclists'' (1970) by Mladomir Puriša Đorđević and '' Hajka'' (1972) with
Rade Šerbedžija Rade Šerbedžija ( sr-Cyrl, Раде Шербеџија, ; born 27 July 1946) is a Croatian actor, director and musician. He is known for his portrayals of imposing figures on both sides of the law. He was one of the best known Yugoslav actors i ...
in the leading role. For this film,
Pavle Vuisić Pavle "Paja" Vuisić ( sr-cyr, Павле "Паја" Вуисић; 10 July 1926 – 1 October 1988) was a Yugoslav actor, known as one of the most recognizable faces of former Yugoslav cinema. Biography He was born in Belgrade as Pavle Vujisić ...
was awarded the ''Golden Arena''. In 1972 Bata Živojinović played the role of his life in '' Valter Defends Sarajevo''. Three years later the film was shown on Chinese national television, making Živojinović a film star in China. In 1973, two films were made that performed very well at the box office. The first was '' Bombardiers'' (with Živojinović and Samardžić), and the second '' Battle of Sutjeska''. Aiming to repeat the success of ''Battle of Neretva'', this film gathered a popular cast—Dravić, Samardžić and Živojinović. This was another film with a budget approved by Tito, so many international actors were cast.
Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...
played Josip Broz Tito and Orson Welles had the role of
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...
. 1974 marked the last peak of partisan film with two blockbusters: '' The Written-Off'' with Voja Brajović and
Dragan Nikolić Dragoslav "Dragan" Nikolić ( sr-cyr, Драгослав Драган Николић, ; 20 August 1943 – 11 March 2016) was a Yugoslav and later, Serbian actor. Nikolić studied at Dramatic Arts Academy in Belgrade. In 1967 he starred in the ...
and ''
Guns of War ''Guns of War'' ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=/, Užička republika, Ужичка република, Republic of Užice) is a 1974 Yugoslav film directed by Žika Mitrović. It is one of the most notable examples of partisan film, a Yugoslav subgenr ...
'', which brought another ''Golden Arena'' to Ružica Sokić. That same year ''Written-Off'' was turned into a
television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
. In 1974, the big-budget film ''
Hell River ''Hell River'', also known as ''Partisans'' ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Partizani, separator=" / ", Партизани) and ''The Last Guerilla'', is a 1974 Yugoslav partisan film starring Rod Taylor as a Yugoslav raised in America who returns home to fig ...
'' with
Rod Taylor Rodney Sturt Taylor (11 January 1930 – 7 January 2015) was an Australian actor. He appeared in more than 50 feature films, including ''The Time Machine'' (1960), ''One Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1961), '' The Birds'' (1963), and ''In ...
was screened with moderate success. This was also the case with '' Doctor Mladen'' (1975), ''
The Peaks of Zelengora ''The Peaks of Zelengora'' ( sr, Врхови Зеленгоре/Vrhovi Zelengore) is a 1976 in film, 1976 Yugoslavia, Yugoslav war drama directed by Zdravko Velimirović. Plot During the 1943 Battle of Sutjeska, Yugoslav Partisans, Yugoslav p ...
'' (1976), '' Maiden Bridge'' (1976), '' Dvoboj za južnu prugu'' (1978) and '' Arrive Before Daybreak'' (1978), the exception being ''
Boško Buha Boško Buha ( sr-cyr, Бошко Буха; 1926 – 27 September 1943) was a young Yugoslav Partisan and an honored icon of the Yugoslavian resistance during World War II. Early life Boško Buha was born into a Serb family in the Slavonian ...
'', a film adaptation of eponymous novel by Dobrica Ćosić. After Tito’s death in 1980, production of partisan films began to collapse following their slow fusion with war and post-war drama. In 1980, no partisan film was made. Partisan films that came after, now considered war dramas, were '' March on Igman'', '' Široko lišće'' and ''
Great Transport ''Great Transport'' ( sh, Veliki transport) is a 1983 Yugoslav action–drama war film directed by Veljko Bulajić. The film was selected as the Yugoslav entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 56th Academy Awards, but was not accepted ...
'', which received universally negative criticism, bombed at the box office and symbolically marked the end of the era of the partisan film. The theme of German occupation of Yugoslavia, however, continued in the cinema of Serbia into the 80s, mostly in the war comedy genre, with movies such as '' Who's Singin' Over There?'' and '' Balkan Express''. Many prominent Serbian actors began their careers in partisan film. '' The Farm in the Small Marsh'' (1976) featured child actor
Slavko Štimac Slavko Štimac ( sr-cyrl, Славко Штимац; born 15 October 1960) is a Serbian actor. Born in a village near Perušić in modern-day Croatia, he later graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. Štimac made his screen debut ...
, who remained famous years later. Acclaimed director, actor and producer,
Dragan Bjelogrlić Dragan Bjelogrlić "Bjela" ( sr, Драган Бјелогрлић, ; born 10 October 1963) is a Serbian actor, director and producer. Career Bjelogrlić made his acting debut as a 15-year old, playing Sava Jovanović Sirogojno in ''Boško Buha'' ...
, played his first role in ''Boško Buha'' (1978).


Cinema in the 1960s

By the early 60s, Yugoslav movies had an already established ensemble of notable actors. Led by the country’s most beloved on screen duo,
Milena Dravić Milena Dravić ( sr-Cyrl, Милена Дравић, ; 5 October 1940 – 14 October 2018) was a Yugoslav and Serbian film, television and theatre actress. Biography Born in Belgrade, Dravić became involved with performing arts at the age of fou ...
and
Ljubiša Samardžić Ljubiša Samardžić ( sr-cyr, Љубиша Самарџић; 19 November 1936 – 8 September 2017), nicknamed Smoki, was a Serbian actor and director, best known as Šurda in the ''Vruć vetar'' TV series, and Inspector Boško Simić in the come ...
, who played a film couple 25 times, those actors included: Olivera Marković, Velimir Bata Živojinović,
Ružica Sokić Ružica Sokić ( sr-cyr, Ружица Сокић; 14 December 1934 – 19 December 2013) was a Serbian actress and writer. Born in Belgrade, then Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Sokić began her acting career in 1957 and was credited in over 40 films a ...
,
Miodrag Petrović Čkalja Miodrag Petrović ( sr-cyr, Миодраг Петровић, , 1 April 1924 – 20 October 2003), known by his stage name Čkalja (Чкаља), was a Serbian actor and one of the most popular comedians of former Yugoslavia. Biography He performed ...
,
Beba Lončar Desanka "Beba" Lončar (Serbian Cyrillic: Десанка „Беба“ Лончар; born 28 April 1943) is a former Yugoslav film actress. She appeared in 52 films between 1960 and 1982. She was born in Belgrade, Serbia. Known for her film car ...
, Stevo Žigon,
Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković Vlastimir "Đuza" Stojiljković (Serbian Cyrillic The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet ( sr, / , ) is a variation of the Cyrillic script used to write the Serbian language, updated in 1818 by Serbian linguist Vuk Karadžić. It is one of the t ...
and others. Despite the popularity of partisan films and the birth of ''Black Wave'', overproduction in the film industry also created space for other genres. In the 60s, Yugoslavia saw the rise of comedy films. Two actors who made the genre popular were
Mija Aleksić Milosav "Mija" Aleksić ( sr-cyr, Милосав "Мија" Алексић; 26 September 1923 – 12 March 1995) was a Serbian actor. Early life Aleksić was born in the Gornja Crnuća village within the municipality of Gornji Milanovac, King ...
and
Miodrag Petrović Čkalja Miodrag Petrović ( sr-cyr, Миодраг Петровић, , 1 April 1924 – 20 October 2003), known by his stage name Čkalja (Чкаља), was a Serbian actor and one of the most popular comedians of former Yugoslavia. Biography He performed ...
. Petrović rose to fame with the 1964 comedy '' A Trip Around the World'' (1964) directed by
Soja Jovanović Sofija "Soja" Jovanović ( sr-Cyrl, Соја Јовановић, ; 1 February 1922 – 22 April 2002) was the first Serbian and Yugoslav female film director, noted for her work in theater, TV and film productions. Biography After studying ...
and based on the
work Work may refer to: * Work (human activity), intentional activity people perform to support themselves, others, or the community ** Manual labour, physical work done by humans ** House work, housework, or homemaking ** Working animal, an animal t ...
of
Branislav Nušić Branislav Nušić ( sr-cyr, Бранислав Нушић, ;  – 19 January 1938) was a Serbian playwright, satirist, essayist, novelist and founder of modern rhetoric in Serbia. He also worked as a journalist and a civil servant. Life Bra ...
. In the film he plays the role of Jovanča Micić, a merchant from
Jagodina ) , image_shield = Jagodina-grb.png , image_flag = FLAG Jagodina.png , image_skyline = , image_caption = , image_map = File:Municipalities of Serbia Jagodina.png , map_caption = Location of Jagodina w ...
, who ends up on an adventurous road trip around the world. This movie also launched the career of
Olivera Katarina Olivera Katarina (; sr-cyr, Оливера Катарина, ; born 5 March 1940), also previously known as Olivera Vučo ( sr-cyr, Оливера Вучо) and Olivera Šakić ( sr-cyr, Оливера Шакић), is a Serbian actress, singer a ...
, a Serbian singer and actress. Soja Jovanović and Čkalja had more successful collaborations in the sixties—the partisan film '' Eagles Fly Early'' (1966), based on the eponymous novel by
Branko Ćopić Branko Ćopić ( sr-cyrl, Бранко Ћопић, ; 1 January 1915 – 26 March 1984) was a Serbian, Bosnian and Yugoslavian writer. He wrote poetry, short stories and novels, and became famous for his stories for children and young adults, oft ...
and '' Father by Force'' (1969). Mija Aleksić also starred in films directed by Jovanović and won a
Golden Arena for Best Actor Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall * Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershi ...
for her comedy '' Dr'' (1962). He also played in the successful Black Wave film '' Čovek iz hrastove šume'' (1964), though he was best known for his roles in the Yugoslavian blockbuster '' Ljubav i moda'' (1960) and the 1967 comedy '' Bokseri idu u raj''. ''Ljubav i moda'' featured guest music star
Gabi Novak Gabrijela "Gabi" Novak (; born 8 July 1936) is a Croatian pop and jazz singer. A wife of the prominent Croatian singer-songwriter Arsen Dedić, whom she married in 1973, Novak became popular in the 1960s. Biography Born in Berlin into a family ...
, and today is best remembered for the 1960s hit song . Other famous movies were mostly comedies: '' The Dreams Came by Coach'' (1960, orig. ''Diližansa snova''), '' Prvi građanin male varoši'' (1961), '' Nema malih bogova'' (1961), '' Lito vilovito'' (1964), ''
Sirota Marija Sirota, Sierota, Sirotta or Syrota (Cyrillic: сирота) is a gender-neutral Slavic surname meaning ''orphan''. Notable people with the surname include: *Alexander Sirota (born 1976), Ukrainian photographer *Beate Sirota (1923–2012), American ...
'' (1968), '' Bog je umro uzalud'' (1969), as well as dramas '' Zemljaci'' (1963), '' The Climber'' (1966) and '' Hassan-aga’s Wife'' (1967) with Milena Dravić, who in the sixties was awarded three supporting and a
Golden Arena for Best Actress The following is a list of winners of the Golden Arena for Best Actress at the Pula Film Festival. List of winners Yugoslav Film Awards (1955–90) Croatian Film Awards (1990–present) Footnotes :A.  Although the festival was opened ...
in the comedy '' Prekobrojna'' (1962). Two notable mentions are the musical '' Zvižduk u osam'' (1962) with
Đorđe Marjanović Đorđe Marjanović ( sr-Cyr, Ђорђе Марјановић; 30 October 1931 – 15 May 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer. Marjanović began his career in the mid-1950s, rising to fame in the late 1950s with his theatrical on-stage per ...
and a thriller '' The Knife'' (1967) with Bata Živojinović. In 1967 and 1968 three romance films introduced
Neda Arnerić Neda Arnerić ( sr-cyr, Неда Арнерић; 15 July 1953 – 10 January 2020) was a Serbian film, stage and television actress, and politician. A graduate art historian, she was considered a sex symbol of Yugoslav cinematography. Personal ...
, the youngest star and the future sex–symbol of Yugoslavia. Those films were '' The Morning'', ''
Noon Noon (or midday) is 12 o'clock in the daytime. It is written as 12 noon, 12:00 m. (for meridiem, literally 12:00 noon), 12 p.m. (for post meridiem, literally "after noon"), 12 pm, or 12:00 (using a 24-hour clock) or 1200 ( military time). Sola ...
'' and ''
The Girl in the Park ''The Girl in the Park'' is a 2007 drama film, the first directed by David Auburn, screenwriter of '' Proof'' (2005) and '' The Lake House'' (2006). It stars Sigourney Weaver, Kate Bosworth and Keri Russell. Plot Since the disappearance of her ...
''. At the
Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...
, Ljubiša Samardžić won a
Volpi Cup for Best Actor The Volpi Cup for Best Actor ( it, Coppa Volpi per la migliore interpretazione maschile) is the principal award given to actors at the Venice Film Festival and is named in honor of Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata, the founder of the Venice Film ...
for his role in ''Jutro,'' (now considered a Black Wave film), while Milena Dravić, who played his partner, got a special award from the jury. Other Yugoslav actors who began their careers in the 60s’ film are Danilo Bata Stojković,
Mira Banjac Mira Banjac ( sr-Cyrl, Мира Бањац; born 4 November 1929) is a Serbian actress. She won a number of awards, including an award for her work in Mamaroš from Brasil and Golden Medal for Merits of Republic of Serbia. Selected filmograph ...
,
Petar Kralj Petar Kralj ( sr-cyr, Петар Краљ; 4 April 1941 – 10 November 2011) was a Serbian theater, film and television actor. Biography Kralj was born in Zagreb to a Serb family from Banija. During World War II his family fled to Syrmia, ...
,
Bora Todorović Borivoje "Bora" Todorović ( sr-Cyrl, Боривоје "Бора" Тодоровић; 5 November 1929 – 7 July 2014) was a Serbian actor. He was the younger brother of the actress, Mira Stupica, and father of Srđan Todorović. Biography He ...
, Mihailo Janketić, Vera Čukić and
Jelena Žigon Jelena Žigon ( sr-cyr, Јелена Жигон; 3 November 1933 – 10 April 2018), was a Serbian and Yugoslav actress. Biography Žigon (maiden name Jovanović) was born in Belgrade to a family hailing from Bajina Bašta, while her mother was ...
among others. Between 1960 and 1970, young actor Nikola Simić played in 44 films. This was also the time when comedians
Seka Sablić Jelisaveta "Seka" Sablić ( sr-cyr, Јелисавета "Сека" Саблић; born 13 June 1942) is a Serbian actress. She had performed in theatre houses in Belgrade and on TV and film. She is the winner of major theatre awards in Serbia and ...
and
Zoran Radmilović Zoran Radmilović ( sr-cyr, Зоран Радмиловић; 11 May 1933 – 21 July 1985) was a Serbian actor who had some of the most memorable roles in the history of former Yugoslav cinema. He studied law, architecture and philology at the ...
had their first on-screen roles.


Black Wave

In the early 1960s, Yugoslav cinema was going through a period of mass production. More fresh faces in film making meant more topics could be tackled. A number of directors particularly wanted to show the darker sides of the communist state, the malfunctions of society and to explore the subjects of the human body and sexuality. Their projects created the so called Black Wave in Yugoslav cinema, a period of non-traditional filmmaking between 1963 and 1972. The name Black wave comes from a polemical article "''Crni talas u našem filmu''" ("Black wave in our Cinematography"). While directors were banned and forced into exile, their movies were getting international recognition. Some of their works were confiscated by the Yugoslav government. The leading filmmakers of ''Black Wave'' were Žika Pavlović ('' When I Am Dead and Gone'', ''
The Rats Woke Up ''The Rats Woke Up'' ( sr, Buđenje pacova) is a 1967 Yugoslavian drama film directed by Živojin Pavlović. It was entered into the 17th Berlin International Film Festival where Pavlović won the Silver Bear for Best Director. Cast * Severin B ...
''), Saša Petrović (''
It Rains in My Village ''It Rains in My Village'' ( sh, Biće skoro propast sveta, ) is a 1968 Yugoslav film by Serbian director Aleksandar Petrović, partly inspired by the novel Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Plot A mentally challenged girl is defended by a young ...
'', '' Tri''),
Puriša Đorđević Mladomir Puriša Đorđević ( sr-cyr, Младомир Пуриша Ђорђевић; 6 May 1924 – 23 November 2022) was a Serbian film director and screenwriter. He directed 71 films since 1947. His 1966 film ''The Dream (1966 film), The Dre ...
('' Devojka'', '' San'', '' Jutro'', '' Podne''), Mika Antić and
Mića Popović Miodrag "Mića" Popović (23 June 1923 – 23 December 1996) was a Serbian painter, experimental filmmaker and one of the major figures of the Yugoslav Black Wave. Life and work Mića Popović was born on 12 June 1923 in Loznica. He finished ...
('' Burduš''). However,
Dušan Makavejev Dušan Makavejev ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Макавејев, ; 13 October 1932 – 25 January 2019) was a Serbian film director and screenwriter, famous for his groundbreaking films of Yugoslav cinema in the late 1960s and early 1970s—many of wh ...
('' Innocence Unprotected'', ''
Man Is Not a Bird ''Čovek nije ptica'' (English title: ''Man Is Not a Bird'') is a European art film made in 1965. It was the first film from director Dušan Makavejev. Plot Highly skilled engineer Jan Rudinski (Janez Vrhovec) comes to a mining town to install ...
'') and
Želimir Žilnik Želimir Žilnik ( sr-cyr, Желимир Жилник; ; born 8 September 1942) is a Serbian film director best known as one of the major figures of the Yugoslav Black Wave film movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Early life Žilnik was born in 19 ...
('' Early Works'', '' The Way Steel Was Tempered'', ''
Marble Ass ''Marble Ass'' ( sr-Cyrl, Дупе од мрамора) is a 1995 feature film by Serbian filmmaker Želimir Žilnik. It was screened at the Berlin Film Festival in 1995 and won a Teddy award as best feature. It was screened at many worldwide fes ...
''). Their films went on to win a
Golden Bear The Golden Bear (german: Goldener Bär) is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin, featured on both the coat of arms and flag of Berlin. History The winn ...
,
Silver Bear for Best Director The Silver Bear for Best Director (german: Silberner Bär/Bester Regie) is an award presented annually at the Berlin International Film Festival since 1956. It is given for the best achievement in directing and is chosen by the International Jury ...
, Cannes Grand Prix and six nominations for Cannes Palme d'Or. This success continued with directors emerging from the wave, earning two
Palme d'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...
awards in the 1980s and 1990s. Two Black Wave films, both made by Aleksandar Saša Petrović, were nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...
: ''
Three 3 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 3, three, or III may also refer to: * AD 3, the third year of the AD era * 3 BC, the third year before the AD era * March, the third month Books * '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...
'' in 1966 and ''
I Even Met Happy Gypsies ''I Even Met Happy Gypsies'' is a 1967 Yugoslav film by Serbian director Aleksandar Petrović. Its original Serbian title is ''Skupljači perja'', which means ''The Feather Gatherers''. The film is centered on Romani people's life in a village ...
'' with
Olivera Katarina Olivera Katarina (; sr-cyr, Оливера Катарина, ; born 5 March 1940), also previously known as Olivera Vučo ( sr-cyr, Оливера Вучо) and Olivera Šakić ( sr-cyr, Оливера Шакић), is a Serbian actress, singer a ...
and
Bekim Fehmiu Bekim Fehmiu (; ; 1 June 1936 – 15 June 2010) was a Yugoslavian theater and film actor of Albanian ethnicity. He was the first Eastern European actor to star in Hollywood during the Cold War. Biography Early life Fehmiu was born in S ...
in 1967. The most notable postwar director was
Dušan Makavejev Dušan Makavejev ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Макавејев, ; 13 October 1932 – 25 January 2019) was a Serbian film director and screenwriter, famous for his groundbreaking films of Yugoslav cinema in the late 1960s and early 1970s—many of wh ...
, who was internationally recognized for '' Love Affair: Or the Case of the Missing Switchboard Operator'' in 1969 focusing on Yugoslav politics. His other acclaimed work is '' W.R.: Mysteries of the Organism'' (1971) after which he was accused of deriding the institutions of the state and was forced into exile. These films had an almost regular cast.
Milena Dravić Milena Dravić ( sr-Cyrl, Милена Дравић, ; 5 October 1940 – 14 October 2018) was a Yugoslav and Serbian film, television and theatre actress. Biography Born in Belgrade, Dravić became involved with performing arts at the age of fou ...
was celebrated as an icon of the Black Wave and went on to become the ″Leading Lady of Yugoslav Cinema″. Eva Ras became famous thanks to being in the first scene of female nudity in Serbian film, and after publicly refusing to join
Tito Tito may refer to: People Mononyms * Josip Broz Tito (1892–1980), commonly known mononymously as Tito, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman * Roberto Arias (1918–1989), aka Tito, Panamanian international lawyer, diplomat, and journ ...
at his villa on the
Brioni Islands The Brijuni () or the Brijuni Islands (also known as the Brionian Islands; same as it, Brioni) are a group of fourteen small islands in the Croatian part of the northern Adriatic Sea, separated from the west coast of the Istrian peninsula by t ...
.
Ružica Sokić Ružica Sokić ( sr-cyr, Ружица Сокић; 14 December 1934 – 19 December 2013) was a Serbian actress and writer. Born in Belgrade, then Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Sokić began her acting career in 1957 and was credited in over 40 films a ...
was another actress who became popular because of her roles in Black Wave films and remained famous until her death. Some films considered to be influenced by the Black Wave are '' Strange girl'' (1962), '' Plastic Jesus'' (1971), '' I Bog stvori kafansku pevačicu'' (1972) with Bata Živojinović and '' The Yellow One'' (1973) featuring Ružica Sokić in the title role, for which she was awarded with
Golden Arena for Best Actress The following is a list of winners of the Golden Arena for Best Actress at the Pula Film Festival. List of winners Yugoslav Film Awards (1955–90) Croatian Film Awards (1990–present) Footnotes :A.  Although the festival was opened ...
.


Cinema in the 1970s

Other than partisan and Black Wave films, few films featuring different topics were shown in the cinemas in Yugoslavia in the 1970s. 1973, however, marked the birth of horror as a genre in Serbian film. The movie was '' The She-Butterfly'' by
Đorđe Kadijević Đorđe Kadijević ( sr-cyr, Ђорђе Кадијевић; 6 January 1933) is a Serbian and Yugoslav film director, screenwriter and art critic. Kadijević is well known for his horror films and for TV series ''Vuk Karadžić'', which won the Gr ...
, with its plot centered around the story of a female
vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...
haunting the peasants coming to the local mill. The film was based on the
Milovan Glišić Milovan Glišić (6 January 1847 – 20 January 1908) was a Serbian writer, dramatist, translator, and literary theorist. He is sometimes referred to as ''the Serbian Gogol''. Legacy Glišić is considered to be one of the best translator ...
short story ''After Ninety Years'' (1880). It was originally made for television, but due to its popularity it has been screened in cinemas to this day. 1977 was particularly successful.
Ljubiša Samardžić Ljubiša Samardžić ( sr-cyr, Љубиша Самарџић; 19 November 1936 – 8 September 2017), nicknamed Smoki, was a Serbian actor and director, best known as Šurda in the ''Vruć vetar'' TV series, and Inspector Boško Simić in the come ...
won
Golden Arena for Best Actor Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall * Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershi ...
for his role in ''
Special Education Special education (known as special-needs education, aided education, exceptional education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, or SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates th ...
'', the directorial debut of
Goran Marković Goran Marković ( sr-cyr, Горан Марковић, ) (born 24 August 1946) is a Serbian film and theatre director, screenwriter, writer, and playwright. He has directed approximately 50 documentaries, 13 feature films, and 3 theatre plays. ...
, who became a celebrated director. This movie was also marked the beginning of the careers of two other actors who later became famous—
Aleksandar Berček Aleksandar Berček ( sr-cyr, Александар Берчек; born 4 September 1950) is a Serbian actor. He performed in more than one hundred films since 1971. He graduated at the Academy for theater, film, radio and television. He was the dir ...
and
Branislav Lečić Branislav Lečić ( sr-Cyrl, Бранислав Лечић; born 25 August 1955) is a Serbian actor, director, academic, writer, politician. Known for his versatile portrayals of emotionally vulnerable characters with strong senses of moral justic ...
. In the same year, Serbian actress Svetlana Bojković won a
Golden Arena for Best Actress The following is a list of winners of the Golden Arena for Best Actress at the Pula Film Festival. List of winners Yugoslav Film Awards (1955–90) Croatian Film Awards (1990–present) Footnotes :A.  Although the festival was opened ...
for her role in ''
The Dog Who Loved Trains ''The Dog Who Loved Trains'' ( sh, Pas koji je voleo vozove), is a 1977 Yugoslav film directed by Goran Paskaljević. The film was nominated for the Golden Bear award at the 28th Berlin International Film Festival in 1978. The plot revolves aro ...
''. This was the second successful film directed by
Goran Paskaljević Goran Paskaljević ( sr-cyr, Горан Паскаљевић; ; 22 April 1947 – 25 September 2020) was a Serbian and former Yugoslav film director. Biography Born in Belgrade, he was raised by his grandparents in Niš in southern Serbia, foll ...
, the first being ''
Beach Guard in Winter ''Beach Guard in Winter'' ( sh, Čuvar plaže u zimskom periodu) is a 1976 Yugoslav film directed by Goran Paskaljević. It was entered into the 26th Berlin International Film Festival. Cast * Irfan Mensur as Dragan Pasanović * Gordana Kosa ...
'' in 1976, with
Mira Banjac Mira Banjac ( sr-Cyrl, Мира Бањац; born 4 November 1929) is a Serbian actress. She won a number of awards, including an award for her work in Mamaroš from Brasil and Golden Medal for Merits of Republic of Serbia. Selected filmograph ...
and Danilo Bata Stojković. Both of his films were screened at the
Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...
. '' Fragrance of Wild Flowers'', a film by
Srđan Karanović Srđan Karanović ( sr-Cyrl, Срђан Карановић, , born 17 November 1945) is a Serbian film director and screenwriter. He has directed 17 films since 1968. His film ''Miris poljskog cveća'' won the FIPRESCI prize at the 1978 Cannes F ...
, also premiered in 1977 in Belgrade. It was screened at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
, where it won
FIPRESCI The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for Fédération Internationale de la PRESse CInématographique) is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world fo ...
award. At the
Pula Film Festival Pula Film Festival ( hr, Pulski filmski festival) is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the Pula Arena. Pula Film Festival is the oldest Croatian film festival and is usually held ...
, it won the
Big Golden Arena for Best Film The Golden Arena awards were established in 1955 as the Yugoslav national film awards presented annually at the Pula Film Festival in Pula, Croatia, with the Big Golden Arena for Best Film its main prize. From 1955 to 1990 the awards were the Yu ...
. Among notable comedy films was ''
Foolish Years The ''Foolish Years'' ( sr, Lude godine / Луде године) are a Yugoslav series of films spawned from the 1977 movie of the same name. The original film and its nine sequels were all directed by Zoran Čalić between 1977 and 1992. The serie ...
'' (1977)—the first installment of the 10 part comedy serial ''Žika’s Dynasty'', starring
Dragomir Gidra Bojanić Dragomir () is a Slavic masculine name, mostly found in Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Russia, and Ukraine as well as Romania. It is composed of the Slavic words '' drag'' (dear, precious) and ''mir'' (peace), both very comm ...
. Bojanić is mostly remembered for his character Grandpa Žika in the serial. Despite the universally negative criticism of its folksy humor, the film series enjoyed massive popularity in Yugoslavia. Romantic comedies were in high demand, and many were made in the seventies, most of them featuring Ljubiša Samardžić. The best known among them were '' Beloved Love'' (1977) (or ''Love Life of Budimir Trajković'') and '' Naivko'' (1975), where he played the love interest of Radmila Živković. Other notable films include '' The Bug Killer'' (orig. ''Bubašinter'') (1971), '' Paja i Jare'' (1973), based on the TV series ''
Truckers A truck driver (commonly referred to as a trucker, teamster, or driver in the United States and Canada; a truckie in Australia and New Zealand; a HGV driver in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European Union, a lorry driver, or driver in ...
'', '' Košava'' (1974) with
Tanja Bošković Tanja Bošković ( sr-Cyrl, Тања Бошковић; born 27 June 1953) is a Serbian actress. She has performed in more than forty films since 1974. Selected filmography References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Boskovic, Tanja Serbian ...
and '' Death and the Dervish'' (1974), based on the
novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...
by
Meša Selimović Mehmed "Meša" Selimović (; ; 26 April 1910 – 11 July 1982) was a Yugoslav writer, whose novel '' Death and the Dervish'' is one of the most important literary works in post-World War II Yugoslavia. Some of the main themes in his works are the ...
. ''
National Class Category Up to 785 ccm National Class Category Up to 785 ccm ( sh, italic=yes, Nacionalna klasa do 785 ccm) is a 1979 Yugoslav comedy film directed by Goran Marković. Plot A young man from the suburbs of Belgrade, Floyd, a car racer in the national class, in accordance ...
'' from 1979 featured a popular soundtrack, with the likes of
Oliver Mandić Oliver Mandić (Serbian Cyrillic: Оливер Мандић; born 13 July 1953) is a Serbian rock musician, composer, and producer. Early life Musically involved from a young age, Mandić first started playing the accordion before taking up the ...
,
Slađana Milošević Aleksandra Milošević Hagadone ( sr-cyr, Александра Милошевић Хагадон; born 3 October 1955), better known as Slađana Milošević ( sr-Cyrl, Слађана Милошевић, ) is a Serbian singer-songwriter, composer, ...
and many other pop stars of 70s. After playing the lead in the film,
Dragan Nikolić Dragoslav "Dragan" Nikolić ( sr-cyr, Драгослав Драган Николић, ; 20 August 1943 – 11 March 2016) was a Yugoslav and later, Serbian actor. Nikolić studied at Dramatic Arts Academy in Belgrade. In 1967 he starred in the ...
became a male
sex symbol A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive.Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor to ...
in Yugoslavia.
Gorica Popović Gorica Popović ( sr-cyr, Горица Поповић; born 13 August 1952) is a Serbian theatre, television and film actress. She was also a former member of the rock band Suncokret Suncokret ( sr-cyr, Сунцокрет; trans. ''Sunflower'') ...
, who played the lead female role, was awarded a Golden Arena.


Cinema in the 1980s

The Belgrade school, associated with the production company Dunav Film, was among the most important schools or centers of documentary film production. Members of the film school have won numerous awards at domestic and foreign film festivals. Several notable comedies were produced in the 80s, including '' Who's Singin' Over There?'', '' Balkan Express'',''
The Marathon Family ''The Marathon Family'' ( sr, Маратонци трче почасни круг / Maratonci trče počasni krug, lit. ''Marathon Runners Do a Lap of Honour'', or often simply ''Maratonci'', lit. ''The Marathon Runners'') is a 1982 Yugoslav blac ...
'' and ''
Balkan Spy ''Balkan Spy'' ( sr, Балкански шпијун / Balkanski špijun) is a 1984 Yugoslav comedy drama film directed by Serbian directors Dušan Kovačević and Božidar Nikolić. Plot Ilija Čvorović (Bata Stojković), a former Stalinist who ...
''.


Cinema in the 1990s and early 2000s

Bosnian Serb The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sr-Cyrl, Срби у Босни и Херцеговини, Srbi u Bosni i Hercegovini) are one of the three constitutive nations (state-forming nations) of the country, predominantly residing in the politi ...
Emir Kusturica Emir Kusturica ( sr-cyrl, Емир Кустурица; born 24 November 1954) is a Serbian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and musician. He also has French citizenship.http://www.serbia.com/emir-kusturica-artist-builder-and-anti-glo ...
dominated the film world at the time the Yugoslav state collapsed. His movie ''
Underground Underground most commonly refers to: * Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth Underground may also refer to: Places * The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston * The Underground ...
'' went on to win a
Palme d'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...
, along with a number of other awards. The main topic of the movie is sadness for lost national and artistic unity. Kusturica's movies from the 00s ''
Black Cat, White Cat ''Black Cat, White Cat'' ( sr, Црна мачка, бели мачор, Crna mačka, beli mačor) is a 1998 Serbian romantic black comedy film directed by Emir Kusturica. It won the Silver Lion for Best Direction at the Venice Film Festival. ...
'' and '' Život je čudo'' received mixed reviews. Serbian-born film director and university professor Stefan Arsenijević won the
Golden Berlin Bear The Golden Bear (german: Goldener Bär) is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin, featured on both the coat of arms and flag of Berlin. History The win ...
for his short movie ''(A) Torzija'' in 2003. Pavle Vučković won first prize from the Cinefondation at the Cannes Film Festival in 2003 for his short ''Run Rabbit Run'', and in 2007 he won third prize in the same category for ''Minus''.


Republic of Serbia (2006—present)

After the process of privatization of the state-run Beograd Film cinema chain, Belgrade was left without most of its cinemas. There were 679 cinemas in Serbia in 1968, but only 88 by 2012. In 2007, Serbian businessman, Nikola Đivanović, purchased 14 theatres, including Zvezda (Star), which belonged to Beograd Film. Within a year they were all closed; six were sold to foreign investors. On 21 November 2014 a group of 200 people, members of the public, activists, artists and filmmakers took possession of the abandoned Zverda cinema. It was later renamed the Novi Bioskop Zvezda (New Star Cinema). Several influential people outside Serbia such as
Michel Gondry Michel Gondry (; born 8 May 1963) is a French filmmaker noted for his inventive visual style and distinctive manipulation of mise en scène. Along with Charlie Kaufman, he won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay as one of the writers ...
, who has produced a short animated film on the subject, have publicly supported the occupation. A documentary film ('' Occupied Cinema'') shot during the occupation and directed by Senka Domanović was released in 2018. US blockbusters and films produced by major studios dominate the repertoires of Serbian cinemas, especially multiplexes that have recently appeared in big cities. Films by
Srdan Golubović Srdan Golubović ( sr-cyr, Срдан Голубовић; born August 24, 1972) is a Serbian film director. Biography Golubović's father was a film director Predrag Golubović. His first feature film '' Absolute 100'' participated in main prog ...
(''
Circles A circle is a shape consisting of all points in a plane that are at a given distance from a given point, the centre. Equivalently, it is the curve traced out by a point that moves in a plane so that its distance from a given point is const ...
'', ''
Klopka ''Klopka'' (English: The Trap, sr, Клопка / Klopka) is a 2007 psychological thriller directed by Srdan Golubović, based on the novel of the same name, written by Nenad Teofilović. The film is a neo-noir piece that explores the age old ...
'') deal with the consequences of war and post-war society, and have won numerous international awards. ''The Other Side of Everything'' directed by
Mila Turajlić Mila Turajlić (Serbian Cyrillic: Мила Tураjлић; born 1979) is a Serbian filmmaker. She directed and produced award-winning films ''The Other Side of Everything'' and ''Cinema Komunisto''. Background Turajlić was born in Belgrade, S ...
won the main award at
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) is the world's largest documentary film festival held annually since 1988 in Amsterdam. Over a period of twelve days, it has screened more than 300 films and sold more than 250,000 tic ...
in 2017. Only two Serbian animated feature films were produced in this period: ''Noir'' by Srđa Penezić and Rista Topalksi, and '' Edit i Ja'' by
Aleksa Gajić Aleksa Gajić ( sr-Cyrl, Алекса Гајић, born May 20, 1974, Belgrade) is a Serbian comics artist and film director. Gajić is best known as the illustrator of '' Scourge of the Gods'' (fr. ''Le Fléau des dieux''), written by Valérie ...
.


Festivals and Awards

FEST Fest may refer to: * Fest, Danish/German/Norwegian/Swedish/Breton for party * Fest, a type of festival * The Fest, music festival in Gainesville, Florida * Joachim Fest (1926–2006), German historian and journalist * '' Fest Magazine'', is an E ...
was started in 1971 and has become one of the biggest film festivals in Serbia and the region. The festival's main award is the "Beogradski
Pobednik ''Pobednik'' ( sr-cyr, Победник, lit=The Victor) is a monument in the Upper Town of the Belgrade Fortress, built to commemorate Serbia's victory over the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires during the Balkan Wars and the First World Wa ...
", awarded for the best film. The Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival founded in 1954 remains one of the main festivals for short, experimental and documentary movies. The
Küstendorf Film and Music Festival Küstendorf Film Festival ( sr, Кустендорф филмски фестивал) is an annual event held during early January in the village of Drvengrad (also known as Küstendorf) in the Mokra Gora region of Serbia. Established in 2008, it ...
is an annual event held during early January in the village of Drvengrad, which was built for the purposes of shooting ''
Life Is a Miracle ''Life Is a Miracle'' ( sr, Život je čudo / Живот је чудо) is a Serbian drama film directed by Emir Kusturica in 2004. It was entered into the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. It received nomination at the Golden Eagle Award in 2005 for ...
''. Other popular festivals include BELDOCS - International Documentary Film Festival Belgrade, the Auteur Film Festival, the European Feature Documentary Film Festival Magnificent Seven, the International Film Directors’ Festival LIFFE in
Leskovac Leskovac (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: Лесковац, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Jablanica District in Southern Serbia (Geographical Region), southern Serbia. According to the 202 ...
and the Palić European Film Festival.


Notable people


Actors

Some of the most notable Serbian actors: *
Mija Aleksić Milosav "Mija" Aleksić ( sr-cyr, Милосав "Мија" Алексић; 26 September 1923 – 12 March 1995) was a Serbian actor. Early life Aleksić was born in the Gornja Crnuća village within the municipality of Gornji Milanovac, King ...
*
Slobodan Aligrudić Slobodan Aligrudić ( sr-Cyrl, Слободан Алигрудић; 15 October 1934 – 13 August 1985) was a Serbian actor known for some of the most memorable roles in the history of former Yugoslav cinema. Biography Aligrudić was born in ...
*
Rade Šerbedžija Rade Šerbedžija ( sr-Cyrl, Раде Шербеџија, ; born 27 July 1946) is a Croatian actor, director and musician. He is known for his portrayals of imposing figures on both sides of the law. He was one of the best known Yugoslav actors i ...
*
Neda Arnerić Neda Arnerić ( sr-cyr, Неда Арнерић; 15 July 1953 – 10 January 2020) was a Serbian film, stage and television actress, and politician. A graduate art historian, she was considered a sex symbol of Yugoslav cinematography. Personal ...
*
Mira Banjac Mira Banjac ( sr-Cyrl, Мира Бањац; born 4 November 1929) is a Serbian actress. She won a number of awards, including an award for her work in Mamaroš from Brasil and Golden Medal for Merits of Republic of Serbia. Selected filmograph ...
*
Predrag Bjelac Predrag Bjelac ( sr-cyr, Предраг Бјелац; born 30 June 1962) is a Serbian actor. He portrayed Igor Karkaroff in '' Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' and Lord Donnon in '' The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian''. He is a gradu ...
*
Dragan Bjelogrlić Dragan Bjelogrlić "Bjela" ( sr, Драган Бјелогрлић, ; born 10 October 1963) is a Serbian actor, director and producer. Career Bjelogrlić made his acting debut as a 15-year old, playing Sava Jovanović Sirogojno in ''Boško Buha'' ...
*
Žarko Laušević Žarko Laušević ( sr-cyr, Жарко Лаушевић; ) (born 19 January 1960) is a Serbian actor. He became a leading actor early in his career. By the age of 33, he was a major star across the former Yugoslavia on both stage and screen. Ear ...
*
Petar Božović Petar "Pera" Božović ( sr, Петар Божовић; born 22 May 1946) is a Serbian actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theat ...
*
Predrag Miletić Predrag Miletić, ( sr-Cyrl, Предраг Милетић; born ), is a Serbian film, television, and theatre actor. Since 1981, Predrag Miletić has been a full-time member of the National Theatre in Belgrade, where he has appeared in more th ...
*
Vojislav Brajović Vojislav "Voja" Brajović ( sr-cyr, Војислав "Воја" Брајовић; born 11 May 1949) is a Serbian actor. Career Brajović graduated from the Belgrade Faculty of Drama Arts in 1971. He has been member of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre s ...
*
Zoran Cvijanović Zoran "Zoki" Cvijanović ( sr-cyr, Зоран "Зоки" Цвијановић; born 25 January 1958) is a Serbian actor and producer. He has starred in over 70 films and television series with his most notable role coming in the drama series ''Siv ...
*
Bogdan Diklić Bogdan Diklić ( sr-Cyrl, Богдан Диклић; born 1 August 1953) is a Serbian actor. He has been active since the late 1970s and starred in over one hundred Yugoslav films and television series. Diklić made ten films with director Gora ...
* Anica Dobra *
Milena Dravić Milena Dravić ( sr-Cyrl, Милена Дравић, ; 5 October 1940 – 14 October 2018) was a Yugoslav and Serbian film, television and theatre actress. Biography Born in Belgrade, Dravić became involved with performing arts at the age of fou ...
*
Sergej Trifunović Sergej Trifunović ( sr-cyr, Сергеј Трифуновић, ; born 2 September 1972) is a Serbian actor, comedian, singer, politician and citizen activist.
*
Predrag Ejdus Predrag Ejdus ( sr-cyr, Предраг Ејдус; 24 July 1947 – 28 September 2018) was a Serbian actor of theater, film and television. His extensive body of work includes over 200 theater productions, 50 films and 30 television series. Ejdu ...
*
Taško Načić Taško Načić ( sr-Cyrl, Ташко Начић; 7 April 1934 – 27 March 1993) was a Serbian actor. Early life Načić's paternal family was of Aromanian descent from Zaječar. He studied acting at The Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, whe ...
*
Bekim Fehmiu Bekim Fehmiu (; ; 1 June 1936 – 15 June 2010) was a Yugoslavian theater and film actor of Albanian ethnicity. He was the first Eastern European actor to star in Hollywood during the Cold War. Biography Early life Fehmiu was born in S ...
*
Mirjana Karanović Mirjana Karanović ( sr-cyr, Мирјана Карановић; born 28 January 1957) is a Serbian actress, film director and screenwriter. Considered one of the best Serbian and Yugoslavian actresses of all time, she is probably the best known f ...
*
Branka Katić Branka Katić ( sr-cyr, Бранка Катић; born 20 January 1970) is a Serbian actress known for appearing in the films ''Black Cat, White Cat'' and '' Public Enemies'', and the TV series ''Big Love''. Career Katić debuted in the film '' ...
*
Nikola Kojo Nikola Kojo (; born 5 September 1967) is a Serbian actor and film director. Biography Nikola was named after his great-grandfather, who was an protoiereus in Mostar. He made his acting debut before he turned 13, with the role of the boy Ivan in ...
*
Branislav Lečić Branislav Lečić ( sr-Cyrl, Бранислав Лечић; born 25 August 1955) is a Serbian actor, director, academic, writer, politician. Known for his versatile portrayals of emotionally vulnerable characters with strong senses of moral justic ...
*
Miki Manojlović Predrag "Miki" Manojlović ( sr-cyr, Предраг "Мики" Манојловић; born 5 April 1950) is a Serbian actor, famous for his starring roles in some of the most important films of former Yugoslav cinema. Since the early 1990s, he su ...
*
Dragan Mićanović Dragan Mićanović ( sr, Драган Мићановић; born 30 September 1970) is a Serbian actor. He had roles in the films ''Layer Cake'' (2004), ''The White Countess'' (2005) and '' RocknRolla'' (2008). Mićanović played his first role ab ...
*
Dragan Nikolić Dragoslav "Dragan" Nikolić ( sr-cyr, Драгослав Драган Николић, ; 20 August 1943 – 11 March 2016) was a Yugoslav and later, Serbian actor. Nikolić studied at Dramatic Arts Academy in Belgrade. In 1967 he starred in the ...
*
Miodrag Petrović Čkalja Miodrag Petrović ( sr-cyr, Миодраг Петровић, , 1 April 1924 – 20 October 2003), known by his stage name Čkalja (Чкаља), was a Serbian actor and one of the most popular comedians of former Yugoslavia. Biography He performed ...
*
Predrag Laković Predrag Laković ( sr-Cyrl, Предраг Лаковић; 28 March 1929 – 9 September 1997) was a Serbian actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films from 1953 to 1997.Dragan Maksimović Dragan Maksimović ( sr-cyr, Драган Максимовић; 7 February 1949 – 4 February 2001) was a Serbian actor. Biography Maksimović (nicknamed Maks) performed in more than sixty theatrical plays, movies and TV productions, between 19 ...
*
Zoran Radmilović Zoran Radmilović ( sr-cyr, Зоран Радмиловић; 11 May 1933 – 21 July 1985) was a Serbian actor who had some of the most memorable roles in the history of former Yugoslav cinema. He studied law, architecture and philology at the ...
*
Lazar Ristovski Lazar "Laza" Ristovski ( sr-Cyrl, Лазар Ристовски, born 26 October 1952) is a Serbian retired actor, director, producer and writer. He has appeared on stage about 4,000 times, and starred in over 40 films, TV series and TV dramas, ...
* Olivera Marković *
Rade Marković Radomir "Rade" Marković ( sr-cyr, Радомир Раде Марковић; 14 October 1921 – 10 September 2010) was a Serbian actor. He performed in more than ninety films. He was married to actress Olivera Marković from 1945 until they div ...
* Jelisaveta Seka Sablić *
Mirjana Joković Mirjana Joković ( sr-cyr, Мирјана Јоковић; born 24 November 1967) is a Serbian film and stage actress, best known for her role as Natalija Zovkov in Emir Kusturica's ''Underground'' (1995). She currently is Director of Performan ...
*
Ljubiša Samardžić Ljubiša Samardžić ( sr-cyr, Љубиша Самарџић; 19 November 1936 – 8 September 2017), nicknamed Smoki, was a Serbian actor and director, best known as Šurda in the ''Vruć vetar'' TV series, and Inspector Boško Simić in the come ...
*
Danilo Stojković Danilo Stojković ( sr-cyr, Данило Стојковић; 11 August 1934 – 16 March 2002), commonly nicknamed Bata (Бата), was a Serbian theatre, television and film actor. Stojković's numerous comedic portrayals of the "small man fig ...
* Mira Stupica * Nataša Šolak *
Slavko Štimac Slavko Štimac ( sr-cyrl, Славко Штимац; born 15 October 1960) is a Serbian actor. Born in a village near Perušić in modern-day Croatia, he later graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. Štimac made his screen debut ...
*
Sonja Savić Sonja Savić ( sr-Cyrl, Соња Савић; 15 September 1961 – 23 September 2008) was a Serbian actress, famous for her husky voice and series of impressive roles in some of the more memorable 1980s Yugoslav films. Sonja appeared in Miroslav ...
*
Ljuba Tadić Ljubomir "Ljuba" Tadić ( sr-cyr, Љубомир Љуба Тадић; 31 May 1929 – 28 October 2005) was a Yugoslav actor who enjoyed a reputation as one of the greatest names in the history of former Yugoslav cinema. Biography He made his scr ...
*
Bora Todorović Borivoje "Bora" Todorović ( sr-Cyrl, Боривоје "Бора" Тодоровић; 5 November 1929 – 7 July 2014) was a Serbian actor. He was the younger brother of the actress, Mira Stupica, and father of Srđan Todorović. Biography He ...
* Vesna Trivalić *
Srđan Todorović Srđan "Žika" Todorović ( sr-cyr, Срђан "Жика" Тодоровић, ; born 28 March 1965) is a Serbian actor and musician. He has played in numerous bands, including Ekatarina Velika, Disciplina Kičme, Radnička Kontrola and Bezobraz ...
* Pavle Vujisić * Bata Živojinović * Dragan Jovanović * Slobodan Beštić * Stevo Žigon *
Petar Kralj Petar Kralj ( sr-cyr, Петар Краљ; 4 April 1941 – 10 November 2011) was a Serbian theater, film and television actor. Biography Kralj was born in Zagreb to a Serb family from Banija. During World War II his family fled to Syrmia, ...
*
Danilo Lazović Danilo Lazović ( sr-cyr, Данило Лазовић; 25 November 1951 – 25 March 2006) was a Serbian actor. He is best remembered by his role of Šćepan Šćekić in the Yugoslav TV series '' Srećni ljudi''. Political views During the Yugos ...
*
Milorad Mandić Milorad Mandić Manda ( sr-cyr, Милорад Мандић; 3 May 1961 – 15 June 2016) was a Serbian actor. He appeared in more than sixty films during his career. Biography At the age of 21, he became a member of the Belgrade Amateur Exper ...
*
Svetozar Cvetković Svetozar Cvetković ( sr-cyr, Светозар Цветковић; born 20 June 1958) is a Serbian actor. He appeared in more than eighty films since 1980 and played the lead role in ''Do Not Forget Me Istanbul'' together with Mira Furlan. Select ...
*
Tanja Bošković Tanja Bošković ( sr-Cyrl, Тања Бошковић; born 27 June 1953) is a Serbian actress. She has performed in more than forty films since 1974. Selected filmography References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Boskovic, Tanja Serbian ...
*
Jasna Đuričić Jasna Đuričić (; born 16 April 1966) is a Serbian actress and academic, best known for playing the titular role in the Bosnian film '' Quo Vadis, Aida?'', which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign International Feature Film i ...
*
Boris Komnenić Boris Komnenić ( sr-Cyrl, Борис Комненић; 29 March 1957 – 6 March 2021) was a Serbian actor. He appeared in more than sixty films from 1980 onwards and a number of theatre roles. Komnenić died on 6 March 2021 in Belgrade, aged 6 ...
*
Nenad Jezdić Nenad Jezdić ( sr-cyr, Ненад Јездић; born 12 July 1972) is a Serbian actor. He appeared in more than fifty films since 1993. Selected filmography References External links * 1972 births Living people People from Valje ...
*
Ljubomir Bandović Ljubomir "Ljubo" Bandović ( sr, Љубомир Бандовић; born 8 July 1976) is a Serbian actor. He has won many prestigious awards for acting in Serbia. Biography Ljubomir "Ljubo" Bandović was born in Ivangrad, SR Montenegro, SFR Yu ...
*
Milan Gutović Milan Gutović ( sr-cyr, Милан "Лане" Гутовић; 11 August 1946 – 25 August 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav actor, cabaret performer and television personality. He is best known for his portrayal of Srećko Šojić in '' Tesna ...
*
Aleksandar Berček Aleksandar Berček ( sr-cyr, Александар Берчек; born 4 September 1950) is a Serbian actor. He performed in more than one hundred films since 1971. He graduated at the Academy for theater, film, radio and television. He was the dir ...
*
Nebojša Glogovac Nebojša "Glogi" Glogovac ( sr-Cyrl, Небојша Глоговац; 30 August 19699 February 2018) was an award-winning Serbian actor, notable for performances in theater, television and film. He was a member of the Children's Drama Group of ...
*
Nataša Ninković Nataša Ninković ( sr-Cyrl, Наташа Нинковић; born 22 July 1972) is a Serbian actress, best known for her roles in the films ''Savior'', ''War Live'', '' The Professional'' and '' The Trap''. Personal life Ninković was born on 22 ...
*
Dubravka Mijatović Dubravka Mijatović ( sr-cyr, Дубравка Мијатовић; born 27 December 1968) is a Serbian actress. Film and television career Dubravka was only nine years old when she got her first TV role in children's program "Vaga Za Tačno Mer ...
* Miodrag Krivokapić *
Nikola Đuričko Nikola Ðuričko ( sr-cyr, Никола Ђуричко; born 9 July 1974) is a Serbian actor. Active in film, television, and in theater, his first notable role was in 1989, in the film ''Poslednji krug u Monci''. In 1991, he played Djura in th ...
*
Nikola Pejaković Nikola Pejaković ( sr-cyrl, Никола Пејаковић; born 1966, in Banja Luka) is a Serbian actor, screenwriter and musician. After finishing Secondary Art School he entered the Art Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, department of the ...
*
Gorica Popović Gorica Popović ( sr-cyr, Горица Поповић; born 13 August 1952) is a Serbian theatre, television and film actress. She was also a former member of the rock band Suncokret Suncokret ( sr-cyr, Сунцокрет; trans. ''Sunflower'') ...
*
Gordan Kičić Gordan Kičić ( sr-cyr, Гордан Кичић; born 5 August 1977) is a Serbian actor, comedian and director. Acclaimed for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is prominent for his starring role in the acclaimed television series '' Balka ...
*
Vojin Ćetković Vojin Ćetković ( sr-cyr, Војин Ћетковић; born 22 August 1971) is a Serbian actor. He is best known for his role in the TV series ''Porodično blago''. Selected filmography Television Film Personal life He is married to Slobod ...
*
Nebojša Dugalić Nebojša Dugalić ( sr-cyr, Небојша Дугалић; , born 17 May 1970) is Serbian actor, theater director and drama professor. Career Dugalić completed the elementary and high school in his hometown Kraljevo, and graduated to the Facult ...
* Stefan Kapičić * Miloš Timotijević * Nikola Rakočević *
Vuk Kostić Vuk Kostić ( sr-cyr, Вук Костић; born 22 November 1979) is a Serbian actor. He is famous for his roles in movies '' Apsolutnih 100'', '' Stvar srca'', "Ubice mog oca" and ''Klopka''. Private life He is the son of actor Mihajlo Kosti ...
*
Miloš Biković Miloš Biković ( sr-Cyrl, Милош Биковић, ; born January 13, 1988) is a Serbian actor and producer. His best known films are box office hits '' Serf'' and ''South Wind''. He is also known for his roles in movies ''Sunstroke'' directe ...


Directors

Serbian cinema continued to make progress in the 1990s and today despite the turmoil of the 1990s.
Emir Kusturica Emir Kusturica ( sr-cyrl, Емир Кустурица; born 24 November 1954) is a Serbian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and musician. He also has French citizenship.http://www.serbia.com/emir-kusturica-artist-builder-and-anti-glo ...
won two Golden Palms for Best Feature Film at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
, for ''
When Father Was Away on Business ''When Father Was Away on Business'' ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Otac na službenom putu, Отац на службеном путу) is a 1985 Yugoslav film by Serbian director Emir Kusturica. The screenplay was written by the Bosnian dramatist Abdulah Sid ...
'' in 1985 and then again for ''
Underground Underground most commonly refers to: * Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth Underground may also refer to: Places * The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston * The Underground ...
'' in 1995. In 1998, Kusturica won a Silver Lion for directing ''
Black Cat, White Cat ''Black Cat, White Cat'' ( sr, Црна мачка, бели мачор, Crna mačka, beli mačor) is a 1998 Serbian romantic black comedy film directed by Emir Kusturica. It won the Silver Lion for Best Direction at the Venice Film Festival. ...
''. *
Timothy John Byford Timothy John Byford ( sr, Тимоти Џон Бајфорд/Timoti Džon Bajford; 25 July 1941 – 5 May 2014) was an author, film director, translator, and educator. Byford was born in England, but spent most of his life in Belgrade. He became ...
*
Srđan Dragojević Srđan Dragojević ( sr-cyr, Срђан Драгојевић, , born 1 January 1963) is a Serbian film director and screenwriter, who emerged in the 1990s as a significant figure in Serbian cinema. From 2010 until 2017, he was affiliated with the ...
*
Emir Kusturica Emir Kusturica ( sr-cyrl, Емир Кустурица; born 24 November 1954) is a Serbian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and musician. He also has French citizenship.http://www.serbia.com/emir-kusturica-artist-builder-and-anti-glo ...
*
Peter Bogdanovich Peter Bogdanovich (July 30, 1939 – January 6, 2022) was an American director, writer, actor, producer, critic, and film historian. One of the "New Hollywood" directors, Bogdanovich started as a film journalist until he was hired to work on R ...
*
Dušan Makavejev Dušan Makavejev ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Макавејев, ; 13 October 1932 – 25 January 2019) was a Serbian film director and screenwriter, famous for his groundbreaking films of Yugoslav cinema in the late 1960s and early 1970s—many of wh ...
*
Goran Marković Goran Marković ( sr-cyr, Горан Марковић, ) (born 24 August 1946) is a Serbian film and theatre director, screenwriter, writer, and playwright. He has directed approximately 50 documentaries, 13 feature films, and 3 theatre plays. ...
*
Gojko Mitić Gojko Mitić ( sr-Cyrl, Гојко Митић; born June 13, 1940) is a German-Serbian actor and director. He gained great popularity in the GDR as the leading actor in historical and fictional Indian personalities in numerous DEFA Indian films. ...
*
Goran Paskaljević Goran Paskaljević ( sr-cyr, Горан Паскаљевић; ; 22 April 1947 – 25 September 2020) was a Serbian and former Yugoslav film director. Biography Born in Belgrade, he was raised by his grandparents in Niš in southern Serbia, foll ...
*
Živojin Pavlović Živojin "Žika" Pavlović (15 April 1933 – 29 November 1998) was a Yugoslav and Serbian film director, writer, painter and professor. In his films and novels, Pavlović depicted the cruel reality of small, poor and abandoned people living i ...
* Aleksandar Petrović *
Lazar Ristovski Lazar "Laza" Ristovski ( sr-Cyrl, Лазар Ристовски, born 26 October 1952) is a Serbian retired actor, director, producer and writer. He has appeared on stage about 4,000 times, and starred in over 40 films, TV series and TV dramas, ...
*
Slobodan Šijan Slobodan Šijan ( sr-Cyrl, Слободан Шијан, ; born November 16, 1946) is a Serbian film director. Biography Šijan was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. He graduated from the Fine Arts Academy in Belgrade, and then enrolled in Belgrade's ...
*
Želimir Žilnik Želimir Žilnik ( sr-cyr, Желимир Жилник; ; born 8 September 1942) is a Serbian film director best known as one of the major figures of the Yugoslav Black Wave film movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Early life Žilnik was born in 19 ...
*
Boro Drašković Boro Drašković ( sr-cyr, Боро Драшковић; born 29 May 1935) is a Serbian director, playwright and screenwriter. Biography Boro Drašković graduated from Belgrade's Academy of Theater, Film, Radio, and Television in 1959. He entere ...
*
Žika Mitrović Živorad "Žika" Mitrović ( sr-Cyrl, Жика Митровић; 3 September 1921 – 29 January 2005) was a Serbian and SFR Yugoslavia, Yugoslav film director and screenwriter. He started his career as a comics artist. Mitrovic directed 20 f ...
*
Ljubiša Samardžić Ljubiša Samardžić ( sr-cyr, Љубиша Самарџић; 19 November 1936 – 8 September 2017), nicknamed Smoki, was a Serbian actor and director, best known as Šurda in the ''Vruć vetar'' TV series, and Inspector Boško Simić in the come ...
* Nikola Ležaić *
Srdan Golubović Srdan Golubović ( sr-cyr, Срдан Голубовић; born August 24, 1972) is a Serbian film director. Biography Golubović's father was a film director Predrag Golubović. His first feature film '' Absolute 100'' participated in main prog ...
*
Mila Turajlić Mila Turajlić (Serbian Cyrillic: Мила Tураjлић; born 1979) is a Serbian filmmaker. She directed and produced award-winning films ''The Other Side of Everything'' and ''Cinema Komunisto''. Background Turajlić was born in Belgrade, S ...
* Stefan Arsenijević


Diaspora

Several Serbian-American filmmakers have established a loose, intellectual multi-media making tradition, working within prominent academic institutions and creating works marked by high stylistic experimentation. Slavko Vorkapic, created a famed montage of sequences for Hollywood films and was the dean of the USC Film School, while film and TV director Vlada Petrić cofounded the
Harvard Film Archive The Harvard Film Archive (HFA) is a film archive and cinema located in the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Dedicated to the collection, preservation and exhibition of film, the HFA houses a c ...
. Serbian-American
Academy-award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
winners include
Karl Malden Karl Malden (born Mladen George Sekulovich; March 22, 1912 – July 1, 2009) was an American actor. He was primarily a character actor, who according to Robert Berkvist, "for more than 60 years brought an intelligent intensity and a homespun aut ...
, Steve Tesich and
Peter Bogdanovich Peter Bogdanovich (July 30, 1939 – January 6, 2022) was an American director, writer, actor, producer, critic, and film historian. One of the "New Hollywood" directors, Bogdanovich started as a film journalist until he was hired to work on R ...
. Serbian-born
Darko Tresnjak Darko Tresnjak ( sr-cyr, Дарко Трешњак, Darko Trešnjak) is a director of plays, musicals, and opera, and winner of several awards, including the Tony Award. He was the artistic director of the Hartford Stage in Connecticut, United St ...
won the
Tony award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
and
Marina Zenovich Marina Zenovich is an American filmmaker known for her biographical documentaries. Her films include ''LANCE'', '' Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind'', '' Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic'' and '' Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired'', which won tw ...
won two
Emmy award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
s. Notable actors of Serb origin include
Iván Petrovich Iván Petrovich ( sr, Иван Петровић, Ivan Petrović; 1 January 1894 – 18 October 1962) was a Serbian film actor and singer. He was the first actor from Yugoslavia to have a successful international movie career. Petrovich mainly w ...
,
Brad Dexter Brad Dexter (born Boris Michel Soso; April 9, 1917 – December 12, 2002) was an American actor and film producer. He is known for tough-guy and western roles, including the 1960 film ''The Magnificent Seven'' (1960), and producing several fil ...
,
Lolita Davidovich Lolita Davidovich ( sr-Latn, Lolita Davidović, italic=unset; born July 15, 1961) is a Canadian-born film and television actress, best known for portraying Blaze Starr in the 1989 film '' Blaze'', for which she received a Chicago Film Critics Ass ...
,
Branko Tomovic Branko (Cyrillic script: Бранко; ) is a South Slavic male given name found in all of the former Yugoslavia. It is related to the names Branimir and Branislav, and the female equivalent is Branka. People named Branko include: * Branko Babi ...
,
Rada Rassimov Rada Rassimov (born Rada Đerasimović (Serbian Cyrillic: Рада Ђерасимовић) on 3 March 1941 in Trieste, Italy) is an Italian actress of Serb origin, who has appeared in film since the early 1960s and television since 1975. Biog ...
,
Nadja Regin Nadežda "Nađa" Poderegin (2 December 1931 – 6 April 2019), commonly known by her stage name Nadja Regin ( sr-Cyr, Нађа Регин, ), was a Serbian actress. Performing in Yugoslav films from 1949, she developed an international career i ...
,
Rade Šerbedžija Rade Šerbedžija ( sr-Cyrl, Раде Шербеџија, ; born 27 July 1946) is a Croatian actor, director and musician. He is known for his portrayals of imposing figures on both sides of the law. He was one of the best known Yugoslav actors i ...
,
Milla Jovovich Milica Bogdanovna Jovovich; sr-Latn, Milica Bogdanovna Jovović; russian: Милица Богдановна Йовович; uk, Милиця Богданoвна Йовович ( ; born December 17, 1975), known professionally as Milla Jovo ...
,
Sasha Alexander Sasha Alexander (born Suzana Drobnjakovic on May 17, 1973), is an American actress and TV director. She played Gretchen Witter in ''Dawson's Creek'' and has acted in films including '' Yes Man'' (2008) and ''He's Just Not That Into You'' (20 ...
and Stana Katic.


Notable films


See also

*
List of Serbian films List of Serbian films encompasses films produced by the Cinema of Serbia. Serbia again became an independent country in 2006, after the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro. For an A-Z list see :Serbian films 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s ...
*
Cinema of Yugoslavia The Cinema of Yugoslavia were the films produced in Yugoslavia. Overview The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had an internationally acclaimed film industry. Yugoslavia submitted many films to the Academy Award for Best Foreign Languag ...
*
World cinema World cinema is a term in film theory that refers to films made outside of the American motion picture industry, particularly those in opposition to the aesthetics and values of commercial American cinema.Nagib, Lúcia. "Towards a positive de ...
* Film festival of Serbia * Serbia Film Commission


References


Sources

* * *


Further reading

* * * * * Dusan T. Bjelic: "Global Aesthetics and the Serbian Cinema of the 1990s", in: Aniko Imre (ed.): ''East European Cinemas'' (AFI Readers). London: Routledge 2005, p. 103 - 120. * Nevena Dakovic: "Europe lost and found: Serbian Cinema and EU Integration". In: ''New Cinemas: Journal of Contemporary Film'', Vol. 4, Issue 2 (2006), p. 93 - 103. * Igor Krstic: ''Wunden der Symbolischen Ordnung. Subjekt zwischen Trauma und Phantasma in serbischen Filmen der 1990er Jahre''. Wien: Turia & Kant 2009. (German)


External links


Serbian Film and Cinematography (1896-1993)
(Project Rastko)
Serbian Film Festival

National film festival of Serbia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cinema Of Serbia Mass media in Serbia Arts in Serbia Serbian culture