A DROP OF HAPPINESS, AN OCEAN OF SORROW
Film: "The Enclave", written and directed by Goran Radovanović; Cast: Filip ubarić, Denis Murić, Nenad Stanojković, Milan Sekulić, Neboja Glogovac, Anica Dobra, Meto Jovanovski, Miodrag Krivokapić, Nenad Jezdić; Duration: 92 minutes; Production: Serbia /Germany, 2015.
Motion picture history comprises numerous great movies about important topics and important messages, with the story being told from the perspective of children. What comes to my mind are Kusturica's "When Father Was Away on Business", Kiarostami's "Where Is the Friend's Home", Panahi's "The White Balloon" or Majidi's "Children of Heaven", "The Color of Paradise" and "Father"... A bright example of this kind of films is without a doubt "The Enclave" written and directed by Goran Radovanović. Radovanović deals with the enormous difficulties faced in life by the Serbian communities, living - after the rather recent war and terror pogrom in Kosovo and Metohija - in small, isolated zones - the enclaves, and talks about this from the perspective of Serbian and Albanian children. With full might, a just measure and touching humanity. In every movie drama is greater and stronger and hurts more if all the categories existing in the adult world are reflected through the eyes of child characters. Viewers' emotions are then also amplified, and in all this covertly lies the trap of the film slipping into pathetic. Radovanović skillfully avoided this in the "The Enclave" by sternly guiding the child actors (and the entire cast) and with his mature dramaturgy that follows a melodramatic line of action decently and convincingly, pointing to the causes and consequences of mistrust and violence. With full authorial responsibility and with great sensitivity, aesthetically sophisticated, Radovanović dives together with his young movie heroes, and with the viewers into the world of daily uncertainty of life in a sort of ghetto quite unique in present day Europe. Into the world of children with a wronged childhood, forced to grow up too quickly. In solitude, with no friends, their eyes fixed on the world of adults who gradually teach them hatred and fear - feelings that are utterly unnatural for children. Such a world is ruled by limited freedom of movement, being transported to and from school and demolished churches and cemeteries in the dark and cramped womb of a KFOR APC, and by everyday problems with Albanian neighbors... This is where young Nenad (Filip ubarić) is growing up, alongside his father (Neboja Glogovac) who is trying to obliterate his sorrows by drinking, his grandfather Milutin (Meto Jovanovski) who is on his deathbed and is also the boys best friend as he has no other, and with the everyday presence of the only remaining priest (Miodrag Krivokapić) determined to build a new church on the charred remains of the old one. Equally lonely is the Albanian young shepherd (Denis Murić) from the neighboring village, growing up without a father behind the high walls of his relatives' house which is full of weapons, hostility and yearning for revenge. There are two other Albanian boys (Nenad Stanojković, Milan Sekulić), who stone the KFOR armored transporter every time it drives by carrying Nenad. They do it not because of hatred but out of childish jealousy. They would like to take a ride in the APC, but not being Serbs their only chance of realizing their wish is to have Nenad intercede for them. Children easily find a common language ... This seemingly simple plot, brings to the surface all the difficulties, the complexity and the tragedy of life in Kosovo and Metohija. Radovanović gradually introduces other characters - Nenad's aunt Milica (Anica Dobra), coming from Belgrade to be by her dying father's side, a bus driver (Nenad Jezdić) who stoically bears being harassed along with his passengers, a Serbian member of the Kosovo Police (Goran Radaković), the German EULEX representative... - thus expanding the overall picture of a given space and time, steering the film with determination and firmness to the very end. All the way to Nenad's encounter as a refugee with the accelerated, parvenu and self-centered Belgrade, where he will immediately be given the nickname "Albanian". And to his essay in class titled "My best friend", when the Albanian shepherd that saved his life, and is now so far away, reappears before his eyes... "The Enclave" - with the masterful photography by German cinematographer Axel Schneppat which is one of the pillars of the film, with the sophisticated editing by Andrija Zafranović, the production design by Vladislav Lasić and functional music by Eleni Karaindru and Irena Popović - is also a film based on modern and dynamic cinematic language, wonderfully selected actors (the meddling of the experienced casting director Boban Dedeić can be noted). It is also a film in which Goran Radovanović skillfully integrated his documentary-film experience in a visual-poetic feature film, offering the possibility of a catharsis, and indicating the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation. "The Enclave" is a film in which the drop of happiness is so small and the ocean of sorrow is immense. But the sorrow is not of the kind that crushes, but rather induces awareness, purifies and heals. If you let it.
Dubravka Lakić Published: 03/20/2015
Film: "The Enclave", written and directed by Goran Radovanović; Cast: Filip ubarić, Denis Murić, Nenad Stanojković, Milan Sekulić, Neboja Glogovac, Anica Dobra, Meto Jovanovski, Miodrag Krivokapić, Nenad Jezdić; Duration: 92 minutes; Production: Serbia /Germany, 2015.
Motion picture history comprises numerous great movies about important topics and important messages, with the story being told from the perspective of children. What comes to my mind are Kusturica's "When Father Was Away on Business", Kiarostami's "Where Is the Friend's Home", Panahi's "The White Balloon" or Majidi's "Children of Heaven", "The Color of Paradise" and "Father"... A bright example of this kind of films is without a doubt "The Enclave" written and directed by Goran Radovanović. Radovanović deals with the enormous difficulties faced in life by the Serbian communities, living - after the rather recent war and terror pogrom in Kosovo and Metohija - in small, isolated zones - the enclaves, and talks about this from the perspective of Serbian and Albanian children. With full might, a just measure and touching humanity. In every movie drama is greater and stronger and hurts more if all the categories existing in the adult world are reflected through the eyes of child characters. Viewers' emotions are then also amplified, and in all this covertly lies the trap of the film slipping into pathetic. Radovanović skillfully avoided this in the "The Enclave" by sternly guiding the child actors (and the entire cast) and with his mature dramaturgy that follows a melodramatic line of action decently and convincingly, pointing to the causes and consequences of mistrust and violence. With full authorial responsibility and with great sensitivity, aesthetically sophisticated, Radovanović dives together with his young movie heroes, and with the viewers into the world of daily uncertainty of life in a sort of ghetto quite unique in present day Europe. Into the world of children with a wronged childhood, forced to grow up too quickly. In solitude, with no friends, their eyes fixed on the world of adults who gradually teach them hatred and fear - feelings that are utterly unnatural for children. Such a world is ruled by limited freedom of movement, being transported to and from school and demolished churches and cemeteries in the dark and cramped womb of a KFOR APC, and by everyday problems with Albanian neighbors... This is where young Nenad (Filip ubarić) is growing up, alongside his father (Neboja Glogovac) who is trying to obliterate his sorrows by drinking, his grandfather Milutin (Meto Jovanovski) who is on his deathbed and is also the boys best friend as he has no other, and with the everyday presence of the only remaining priest (Miodrag Krivokapić) determined to build a new church on the charred remains of the old one. Equally lonely is the Albanian young shepherd (Denis Murić) from the neighboring village, growing up without a father behind the high walls of his relatives' house which is full of weapons, hostility and yearning for revenge. There are two other Albanian boys (Nenad Stanojković, Milan Sekulić), who stone the KFOR armored transporter every time it drives by carrying Nenad. They do it not because of hatred but out of childish jealousy. They would like to take a ride in the APC, but not being Serbs their only chance of realizing their wish is to have Nenad intercede for them. Children easily find a common language ... This seemingly simple plot, brings to the surface all the difficulties, the complexity and the tragedy of life in Kosovo and Metohija. Radovanović gradually introduces other characters - Nenad's aunt Milica (Anica Dobra), coming from Belgrade to be by her dying father's side, a bus driver (Nenad Jezdić) who stoically bears being harassed along with his passengers, a Serbian member of the Kosovo Police (Goran Radaković), the German EULEX representative... - thus expanding the overall picture of a given space and time, steering the film with determination and firmness to the very end. All the way to Nenad's encounter as a refugee with the accelerated, parvenu and self-centered Belgrade, where he will immediately be given the nickname "Albanian". And to his essay in class titled "My best friend", when the Albanian shepherd that saved his life, and is now so far away, reappears before his eyes... "The Enclave" - with the masterful photography by German cinematographer Axel Schneppat which is one of the pillars of the film, with the sophisticated editing by Andrija Zafranović, the production design by Vladislav Lasić and functional music by Eleni Karaindru and Irena Popović - is also a film based on modern and dynamic cinematic language, wonderfully selected actors (the meddling of the experienced casting director Boban Dedeić can be noted). It is also a film in which Goran Radovanović skillfully integrated his documentary-film experience in a visual-poetic feature film, offering the possibility of a catharsis, and indicating the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation. "The Enclave" is a film in which the drop of happiness is so small and the ocean of sorrow is immense. But the sorrow is not of the kind that crushes, but rather induces awareness, purifies and heals. If you let it.
Dubravka Lakić Published: 03/20/2015