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The Balkan Syndrome

By: Dimitri​s Psachos

A handful of favorites and seminal films to the Balkan identity and to popularize a haughty European area which flourished thanks to 2-3 important film-makers. The plethora of treasures to be uncovered is unlimited, be it from the mythical mountains of Albania to the imperial Romanian centuries. I haven’t seen all of them and I’m hoping to provide several info regarding the similarities / differences of Balkan-based cultures.

List by chronological order, one director per film.

(Under New Construction!!!)

Films Missing from The Auteurs aka MUBI:

Albania
Face to Face by Kujtim Çashku
Apasionata by Kristaq Mitro and Ibrahim Muçaj
Rrugicat që kërkonin diell by Saimir Kumbaro
Victory Over Death by Gëzim Erebara, Piro Milkani

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Regular Trains Station by Nenad Dizdarevic
The Role of My Family in the Revolution by Bahrudin ‘Bato’ Cengic

Bulgaria
Dangerous Charm by Ivan Andonov
Warmth by Vladimir Yanchev
The Peach Thief by Vulo Radev
The Attached Balloon by Binka Zheliazkova
De Facto by Donyo Donev
King for a Day by Nikolai Volev
Heroes of Shipka by Sergei Vasilyev

Croatia
Acting Hamlet in the Village of Mrdusa Donja by Krsto Papić
Don’t Look Back, My Son by Branko Bauer
The Loner by Vatroslav Mimica

Greece
The Stigma by Pavlos Tassios
With a Cry by Vasiliki Eliopoulou
Serenity by Gregory J. Markopoulos
Equinox by Nikos Kornilios

Macedonia
Macedonian Blood Wedding by Trajče Popov
Happy New Year ’49 by Stole Popov
Mountain of Wrath by Ljubisa Georgijevski
Times Without War by Branko Gapo
Black Seed by Kiril Cenevski
Hi-Fi by Vladimir Blazevski

Montenegro
Unseen Wonder by Zivko Nikolic
Balkan Express by Branko Baletić

Romania
Michael the Brave by Sergiu Nicolaescu
The Queen’s Flower by Paul Călinescu
A Girl’s Tears by Iosif Demian
The Moremete Family by Stere Gulea
Miss Christina by Viorel Sergovici
Earth’s Most Beloved Son by Serban Marinescu

Serbia
Pretty Village, Pretty Flame by Srđan Dragojević
Life and Deeds of Immortal Vožd Karađorđe by Čiča Ilija Stanojević
The Wall by Ante Zaninovic

Slovenia
Outsider by Andrej Kosak
Every Child is Beautiful When It’s Born by Slavko Hren (no IMDB profile)

Great lists with similar material to check:

Albania

Bulgarian Cinema

Greece of Cinephile Dreams

Made in Romania

 

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răpciune

28May11

100th!

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edw_o O

6Feb11

I don't like the idea of the Balkan's cultural exceptionalism and its mythology. It is a conservative regressive ideology which regularly leads to wars and racism. Many of the aforementioned films attack it directly, while some glorify it.

răpciune and 2 others like this

okty1, nadka

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JOHANSSON

6Nov10

nice reference to download.thanks a lot!

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Chasing Butterflies

28May10

Found tons of films I did not know about. Thanks a ton! One significant omission is The Medusa Raft by Karpo Godina. It also made me think of Makavejev's Unprotected Innocence since it deals with the history of Balkan cinema.

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