Group Portrait with a Lady

Aleksandar “Saša” Petrović was one of the most acclaimed and successful Yugoslav directors, born in 1929. in Paris. Studied film directing at the prestigious Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) in Prague (1947/48). His studies remained unfinished due to the political aggravation between Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia at the time and he was forced to return to homeland. He graduated Art History in Belgrade (1955). Filmmaker since 1948. in various projects. At first, assisting to other directors and shooting documentaries. Awarded several times for his early works in these movies including very successful documentaries Let nad mocvarom (1956), Petar Dobrovic (1958), Putevi (1959) and Sabori (1963). After two films with various success and acclamation (Dvoje in 1961 and Dani in 1963) he directs very successful war drama Tri (Three, 1965) which won raves from critics in Yugoslavia and Europe and an Best Foreign Language Oscar nomination in 1966. However, film wasn’t so well received in theaters. Now it is considered one of the best movies in Yugoslavia. His next project Skupljaci perja (I Even Met Happy Gypsies, 1967), metaphorical social drama about gypsies was even more successful. It also won an Oscar nomination – the very next year after Three – in 1967, Grand Jury Prize and FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes Film Festival and established Petrovic as one of the most talented and skillful European directors in 1960s. Unlike Three it was very well received and translated in over 100 languages. In 1977. he made German movie Group Portrait with a Lady starring Romy Schneider. Members of Yugoslavian Board of the Academy of Film Art and Science (AFUN) voted two of his movies among ten best Serbian films in 1947-1995 period – I Even Met Happy Gypsies (#2) and Three (#4). He was one of the founders of so-called New Yugoslavian Film wave. Was professor at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. Wrote several books on movie and was film theoretic.

Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1971

Member of the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1967

After being accused of holding anti-communist views and a scandal around the movie Plasticni Isus (1971), directed by his friend Lazar Stojanovic, he was forced to leave the Belgrade Film Academy (1973).

Founding member of the first democratic party in the former Yugoslavia (1989). —IMDb