Pretty Village, Pretty Flame

Yugoslavia / Greece 1996, 124 minutes
Dir. Sadjan Dragojevic
In Serbo-Croatian with English subtitles
Rating: [R16]
Genres: Foreign Cinema, Comedy, Drama / Black Comedy, War

Feat. Dragan Bjelorgrlic, Nikola Kojo

Aroview: Seen in flashback from a ward in triage, the Bosnian war is portrayed in a riveting counter-play of nihilism and theatre, as a band of Serbian soldiers loot villages but find them selves ironically holed up in the "Tunnel of Brotherhood and Unity" and under siege from the Bosnian Muslim enemy, led by a childhood friend.

An exciting, ambitious, intelligent and ultimately devastating film that was in some quarters (mis-)interpreted as Serbian propaganda, but is in fact a searing indictment of war that trumps the efforts of Serb compatriot Emir Kusturica et al in 'explaining' the acrimony.

NZ International Film Festival 1997