Iza stakla

The winner of the Young Cinephiles Award for the Best film at the 55th Pula Film Festival, Zrinko Ogresta's IZA STAKLA (BEHIND THE GLASS)is a modern psychological drama, painfully honest in looking at the ugly side of life head. "Fake life and apparent order are barely sustained in a chaotic mess of three people and their environment. Structured in five days the story depicts the love triangle of a man and two women by means of numerous events apparently interconnected with characters. Apparent order is broken in an unpredictable collision with their real lives…" (taken from the film catalogue).

I was really moved by this utterly believable film directed and acted by heart.

This is the first Croatian film I ever saw and I am really impressed. IZA STAKLA (BEHIND THE GLASS) was presented in the competition of the 43rd Karlovy Vary International Film festival (July 4-12, 2008). Problems which have been brewing for years for successful 35-year-old architect Nikola Jeren come to a head in the space of five days. A life of lies and emotional turmoil has taken its toll on the man, he has no self-respect and doesn't know what he really wants. His long-term mistress Ana, a work colleague, is weary from all the years they've had to conceal their relationship. She wants him to get divorce. His wife Maja, the mother of Nikola's 8-year-old daughter, is also pressing him to finally come to a decision. Nikola is imprisoned in a situation which cannot be resolved: whatever he does, he'll only hurt everyone he ever loved even more. Can something decide for us, something we're no longer used to expecting in life - a tragic coincidence ? Director Zrinko Ogresta doesn't judge the characters in his intimate psychological drama, but he present a very sensitive yet harsh view of their weaknesses. At the same time, however, he poses a vital question: to what extent are we responsible masters of our own destiny and thus also architects of the world we inhabit ? Brilliant directing, excellent acting and great camera-work !

"Iza stakla" is small but very brave film too. It's seems that is created out of director's need to face his own errors and his own personal imperfectness. I think it's like that because film look's like it is a personal one. Critics have commended Iza stakla /Behind the glass/ and I think it is one of the best movies from the Ex-Yugoslav countries in a last ten years. There is no music in the film, only at the last shot and on the credits. Main actors are really great: Leon Lucev, Jadranka Djokic and Daria Lorenci. I saw the film on the 10th Motovun Internatinal film festival. "Iza stakla" received the Audience Award for the best film.

"Iza stakla" is a movie from well-known Croatian director Vinko Bresan and it tells us a story of unhappy life that our three main characters are leading. Marriage between Nikola and Maja Jeren is falling apart because of lack of love and infidelity from Nikola side. Nikola is working as an architect and he's cheating his wife with his associate Ana. Here we've got love triangle that had to break at end, cause everyone wanted something. Maja wants her husband and father for their daughter back but she couldn't forgive him infidelity (although her mother and sister had the same problem), which makes her the strongest character in the movie. Nikola on the other hand is a weak individual and he cannot end his marriage even tough there is no love from his side; at the same time he cannot run away with the women he loves but he keeps on living in lie for over 6 years (Ana). Ana is between two fires, cause she loves Nikola but deep inside knows that he cannot be her man. That's why we've got tragic end (like "Babel" beginning, what happened to Pitt's wife), in which Nikola loses everything and there is no need to pity him because you can't go on pretending that everything is all right when it's not.

What makes this movie believable is a script and the characters that can be fund in every day life. Performances of Lucev, Djokic (bravo!!) and Lorenci are great and in supporting roles we can see all well known Croatian actors. Vinko Bresan's direction is very good and maybe this is the best movie he ever made and maybe it's the best Croatian movie of the year (must see 'Niciji sin' to make final judgment). A little minus is only length of this movie (only 80 minutes); I would add couple of scenes at the end. But I'm meticulous here; this is a great movie that I recommend for every fan of drama and serious movies. Good job done for everyone involved!

The topic of a love triangle isn't too fresh but as an ongoing problem for many people, it can still be interesting and I was somewhat intrigued. However, what spoiled it for me was the ending, which I felt was moralizing.