This drama, produced by the Bas celik film house, provides a realistic and convincing insight into Balkan, hence Serbian society and day to day life, both filled with corruption alongside with criminal and rotten system, crony capitalism, industries and factories which have failed due to the shady post-war privatisation which took place during the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe in 1990's and total collapse of value system driven by general poverty and distitution.
The opening sequence shows the straw that broke the camel's back which made Nikola's wife set herself on fire; needs must when the Devil drives. That action fueled the entire movie and revealed all flaws of the corrupt system, making the movie even more moving and emotional. The plot is set in the latter atmosphere which was amazingly delivered by the director and his thought-provoking story of the main character. Director also tries to convey certain emotions at the given moment, provides background information and makes the movie exceptionally legible, yet complicated. Camera operations describe the setting well while capturing character's emotions and thoughts without the very character saying them out loud, which in return has to be acknowledged as an absolutely brilliant performance of Goran Bogdan who has been the pillar of the script, hence the movie itself.
The (lack of the) lighting throughout the movie and greyish color scheme are used to enhance the sense not only of position of the main characters, but also broader society. Music provides a support to all elements mentioned above by conveying a melancholic atmosphere, it also underlines a certain mood, evokes feelings and (again) shows character's emotions. The movie contains some quite powerful scenes, e.g. setting oneself on fire, reconnecting with ones family members or the state agencies taking them away. However, there are certain flaws in storytelling and editing into which I would not delve due to the lack of such movies in the region and a urging need that exists for them. One needs to take into account the quality of Croatian and Serbian cinematography (reference frame) and view those flaws with respect to the latter quality.
Watching Otac was a heartbreaking and overwhelming experience in addition to the plot being based on true events, and as I said, down to earth and realistic depiction of life in Serbia and Balkans. It remains a truly great piece of filmmaking, not to mention incredible camera and numerous iconic shots which can be seen throughout the movie. A very moving potrayal which I strongly recommend to watch especially if these topics are of your interest, nonetheless it will change the way you think about not only work and day to day life, but politics, crony capitalism, government agencies, political parties, this region in general and basic human dignity.
The opening sequence shows the straw that broke the camel's back which made Nikola's wife set herself on fire; needs must when the Devil drives. That action fueled the entire movie and revealed all flaws of the corrupt system, making the movie even more moving and emotional. The plot is set in the latter atmosphere which was amazingly delivered by the director and his thought-provoking story of the main character. Director also tries to convey certain emotions at the given moment, provides background information and makes the movie exceptionally legible, yet complicated. Camera operations describe the setting well while capturing character's emotions and thoughts without the very character saying them out loud, which in return has to be acknowledged as an absolutely brilliant performance of Goran Bogdan who has been the pillar of the script, hence the movie itself.
The (lack of the) lighting throughout the movie and greyish color scheme are used to enhance the sense not only of position of the main characters, but also broader society. Music provides a support to all elements mentioned above by conveying a melancholic atmosphere, it also underlines a certain mood, evokes feelings and (again) shows character's emotions. The movie contains some quite powerful scenes, e.g. setting oneself on fire, reconnecting with ones family members or the state agencies taking them away. However, there are certain flaws in storytelling and editing into which I would not delve due to the lack of such movies in the region and a urging need that exists for them. One needs to take into account the quality of Croatian and Serbian cinematography (reference frame) and view those flaws with respect to the latter quality.
Watching Otac was a heartbreaking and overwhelming experience in addition to the plot being based on true events, and as I said, down to earth and realistic depiction of life in Serbia and Balkans. It remains a truly great piece of filmmaking, not to mention incredible camera and numerous iconic shots which can be seen throughout the movie. A very moving potrayal which I strongly recommend to watch especially if these topics are of your interest, nonetheless it will change the way you think about not only work and day to day life, but politics, crony capitalism, government agencies, political parties, this region in general and basic human dignity.