Lordan Zafranović’s Trilogy: Cinema Against Silence and Oblivion

Yet this is not classic partisan cinema, which dominated the region’s film landscape for decades. Zafranović goes beyond that formula to create works of European stature, comparable to those of Italian modernists such as Visconti, Bertolucci, and Pasolini.

A graduate of the renowned FAMU in Prague and one of the leading figures of the Yugoslav “Prague School” of directors, Zafranović stands out not only for his modernist style, but also for his boldness in tackling uncomfortable themes: betrayal, collaboration, the erosion of ideals. In his films, occupation becomes a point of departure for reflecting on the moral disintegration of communities and individuals. The director consistently explores the nature of evil – from fascism to nationalism – challenging official historical narratives and collective memory. In his cinematic world, war doesn’t just come from outside; it reveals what lies beneath the surface: cracks in relationships, the ease of betrayal, and a willingness to remain silent. Fascism breaks bonds, divides brothers and friends, and introduces chaos. In the spirit of Bakhtin’s carnival, the social order is suspended: the king becomes a jester, and the seemingly powerless may turn into executioners. Boundaries blur, masks fall away. History does not follow a straight line – it loops, spirals, and returns in new disguises.

The trilogy – Occupation in 26 Pictures (1978), The Fall of Italy (1981), and Evening Bells (1986) – was created in collaboration with writer Mišo Kovač and also serves as a tribute to southern sensibilities: Adriatic landscapes, local traditions, linguistic and cultural diversity. But beauty in these worlds always coexists with violence. Zafranović’s poetics blend monumental and folk music, expressive visual composition, and images that haunt the viewer. This is cinema of dramatic choices, not heroic gestures. His films grapple with collective guilt, social indifference, and the responsibility for what happens right next door. Evil is not just external – on the contrary, it becomes familiar, domestic, everyday.

“We have no right to speak of others’ crimes if we are unable to speak of our own,” says the director. His work is deeply critical of nationalism and historical falsehoods, especially concerning the crimes committed by Croatian collaborators – the Ustashas. In the 1990s, when newly formed states were building national identities based on myths and selective memory, Zafranović’s films became inconvenient. He became the target of political attacks and was forced into exile – to Paris and Prague. Today, amid a growing wave of revisionism and pressure for “convenient” historical narratives, Zafranović’s trilogy feels more urgent than ever. It is cinema that does not allow us to look away – reminding us that memory is not a resource, but a responsibility.

Maša Guštin

Lordan Zafranović will be a guest of the festival.

The following films will be presented as part of this section:

• Occupation in 26 Pictures / Okupacija u 26 slika, dir. Lordan Zafranović, Yugoslavia, 1978
• The Fall of Italy / Pad Italije, dir. Lordan Zafranović, Yugoslavia, 1981
• Evening Bells / Večernja zvona, dir. Lordan Zafranović, Yugoslavia, 1986