What the Hell is a 'Serbian Film'?
03.16.10 By: Brian Salisbury
There is a film currently generating a lot of buzz at SXSW that I just had to blurb about. The title of the movie seems a playful jest on the cinematic ambiguity of a certain region of the world but the subject of the film is apparently as playful as a round of mini-golf at Auschwitz. The film is definitively titled A Serbian Film. To be clear, I have not yet seen this film. But the reaction from the horror community here at the festival has been equal parts vocal disbelief and telling speechlessness. From what I've gleaned of the topic of the film, certain questions are forming.What is a Serbian film? This country, as noted for its horror cinema as I am noted for my career as a professional street fighter. Go ahead, name three Serbian horror films that you've seen? Need concrete evidence? Check out this link to IMDB showing the search results of Serbia and horror. Why does this matter to anyone ever? Because from what I'm hearing about Serbian Film, the film itself may be an angry reaction to the assumption that hardcore horror is a game in which only America and/or France participate.
Serbian Film could be the movie that forces all of us to sit-up and take note of a country that most of us probably can't find on a map. Not only that, but it could be a reaction to the whispers that Serbia's pornography industry is among the more prolific on the planet. What is certain is that there is not one person I've talked to, and there are beaucoup de horror geeks to chose from right now, who walked out of that theater unscathed. Attendees, not specific to critics, were either strongly lauding the film as a landmark or angrily protesting its vile content.
I am terrified to see a film like this. The nauseatingly popular catch-phrase torture porn is going to be tested by Serbian Film. When Martyrs is being described as a more entertaining romp, the concept of shock for shock sake is suspect. Do we like watching people brutalized for two hours in the most unspeakable ways? No, but films like Serbian Film apparently carry with them a very sociopolitical subtext that at least demand a single viewing. Basically I just wanted to throw in my two cents on the buzz currently surrounding the film. I will catch it here, and from what I'm hearing you should catch it as soon as it is made available to you.
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Reader Comments (1 of 1)
Midnight13at 3-16-2010
I recognize that horror films to an extent are meant to be uncomfortable. For the most part they are about characters either being terrified and brutalized. We can't say we love horror films not acknowledge this. Also the victims of these films, I would say a good 85% of the time, at least, are women. I saw the trailer for this movie, and I can only imagine what the trailer merely hints at. "A Serbian Film" sounds like the next line in what seem to be specifcally forgien films to make very explict sexually violent films. Something along the lines of the French film "Baise-moi" or "Irreversible". Now having not seen either of these movies, Certainly there is something to be said "pushing the envelope". Or bringing to our attention that people like this really exist. Yet with all the pre-release press stating how distrubing of a film it is, will only drive away viewers, and thus not getting the message of what the film may be trying to convey.
Mike Brackenat 3-16-2010
Good call on Baise-moi and Irreversible. I don't think they;re exactly the same as Serbian Film (I've seen the two French flicks but not Serbian Film yet), but I suspect they're in the same cinematic ballpark.
Do you have a Twitter account, Midnight? I see you post here a lot and we appreciate it. I'm sure we'd all like to make sure we're following you if you do have one. You can find me under Horrorgeek.
dejanat 3-17-2010
You should be aware that there are more than a dozen films made in Serbia so far which could be labeled 'horror'. Of course, the label itself is most unwelcome (see how many horrors in USA are advertised as 'psychological / supernatural thrillers' and the like), so that's why you won't find them on IMDB labeled as horrors.
For a short introduction - a list, brief description, photos from the Serbian horror films - take a look here:
http://templeofghoul.blogspot.com/2010/01/serbian-horror-film.html
As for A SERBIAN FILM itself, it really IS what the reviews and comments describe: you haven't seen (or imagined) anything like it.
Here's my review of the film:
http://templeofghoul.blogspot.com/2010/03/serbian-film-2010.html
Feel free to contact me if you need additional info.
knutat 3-23-2010
The truth is: there is no porn industry in Serbia. Actually, there is, but it's lame and very far from prolific. For that matter, this movie is pure fiction.
dejanat 3-17-2010
what you said about no porn industry in Serbia is true.
one would barely call it manufacture.
BUT - in the SERBIAN FILM it is made very clear that Milos starred in foreign (European) productions, not Serbian ones.