SERBIAN GREAT FILMMAKER PASKALJEVIC

Serbian Filmmaker Goran Paskaljevic and myself in 'PIFF'!

Renowned Serbian Filmmaker Goran Paskaljevic's birth anniversary recently happened!

Young Goran Paskaljevic directing!

Origin of Yugoslavia but Goran Paskaljevic studied at the 'Film and TV School of the Academy of - Performing Arts' in Prague! Then he returned to homeland and started making documentaries. In 1976 he directed first feature film 'Beach Guard in Winter' which was a Serbo-Croation production!

In 1992 the rise of nationalism during breakup of Yugoslavia forced him to leave his country! After 

6 years he returned to Serbia and made film 'Bure Baruta' (1998). In English it known as 'Cabaret - Balkan in the USA'. This critically acclaimed film won 'FIPRESCI' prize at 'Venice Film Festival'!

After his film 'How Harry Became Tree' (2001).. 'Variety International Film Guide' marked him as one of the world's top five directors of the year! In 2004 he made 'Midwinter Night's Dream'. It is an allegory of the Balkan Wars and in this autistic child acted as the main character! This is my most favourite film of him,..

in which pretty cute Jovana Mitic played that difficult role!

Jovana Mitic in difficult role of film 'Midwinter Night's Dream' (2004).

After that Paskaljevic made black comedy 'The Optimists'(2006) which was inspired by 'Voltaire's satire.. 'Candid'..presented 5 unrelated narrative sequences.

Then his films like 'Honeymoons' (2009) got audience love! In 2008 'The Museum of Modern Art in New York' presented a - retrospective of his work! His film 'When Day Breaks' (2012) was also with sensitive theme on backdrop of socio-cultural developments in that region! 

Scene from Goran Paskaljevic's film 'When Day Breaks' (2012).

Paskaljevic made 30 documentaries and 16 feature films. Almost all were screened at many international film festivals like.. Toronto, Berlin & Cannes..and won awards! 'BFI South bank's (London) also organized his 16 films retrospective in 2010.

In 2016 he made.. Indo-Serbian co-production film 'Dev Bhoomi'!..He lived between Belgrade and Paris!

I met Paskaljevic in our international film festivals in India like 'IFFI' in which his films screened and I always admired his cinematic work!

Tribute to him!!

- Manoj Kulkarni