A Portrait of the Artist As a Political Dissident : The Life and Work of Aleksandar Petrovic

In the liberal West as in socialist Yugoslavia, the films of Aleksandar Petrovic dramatize how enforced dogmatism can corrode any political system. A case study of the oft-overlooked Yugoslav director’s colorful and eventful career, __A Portrait of the Artist as a Political Dissident__ explores how Petrovic developed specific political and social themes in his films. A response to the political vagaries of his time, these anti-dogmatic views were later to become a trademark of his work. Although interest in socialist Yugoslavia and its legacy has risen steadily since the 1990s, the history of Yugoslav cinema has been scarcely covered, and this book marks a fresh contribution to a burgeoning area of interest. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Table of Contents 8 Figures 12 Acknowledgements 14 Notes on Language 16 Introduction 18 Chapter 1: Beginnings 30 1. 1. The State 32 1. 1. 1. Early Cinema in Serbia and Yugoslavia 32 1. 1. 2. Socialist Yugoslavia and the Creation of a National Film Industry 35 1. 2. The Artist 37 1. 2. 1. Early Years 37 1. 2. 2. The Years of War 38 1. 2. 3. The Young Filmmaker 42 1. 3. The State and the Artist 45 1. 3. 1. The Belgrade Circle of Critics 46 1. 3. 2. The First Love – Communism 48 1. 3. 3. New Wave 50 Chapter 2: Shoulder to Shoulder 60 2. 1. An Invitation from Vicko Raspor 63 2. 1. 1. Shoulder to Shoulder 64 2. 1. 2. Flight over the Swamp 66 2. 2. Raspor and Petrović: Rise and Fall 69 2. 2. 1. Petar Dobrović 70 2. 2. 2. The Only Exit 71 2. 3. Reclaiming the Experience 74 2. 3. 1. The Roads 74 2. 3. 2. The War on War 77 2. 4. First Films, First Problems 79 2. 4. 1. Two 79 2. 4. 2. Days – the Premise 83 2. 4. 3. Days – the Conflict 86 Chapter 3: Art as an Inquiry 98 3. 1. Two New Documentaries 102 3. 1. 1. Exposing the “Invisible” 102 3. 1. 2. The Record on the “Invisible” 103 3. 1. 3. The Legacy of Luis Buñuel 106 3. 1. 4. “The Invisibles” Assembling 107 3. 2. Three: Things “Invisible” in the War 112 3. 2. 1. The Atmosphere at Avala Film 112 3. 2. 2. The War Themes and the Prose of Antonije Isaković 114 3. 2. 3. Adapting Isaković 115 3. 2. 4. The Film Three 116 3. 2. 5. Personal History Against the Official Myth 118 3. 2. 6. Three – the Reception 127 Chapter 4: The Artist as a Feather Collector 136 4. 1. The New Direction 139 4. 1. 1. Petrović Focuses on the “Invisible” 139 4. 1. 2. I Even Met Happy Gypsies or The Feather Collectors 144 4. 2. International Recognition 145 4. 2. 1. While Travelling with the Gypsies 145 4. 2. 2. Theorising the Representations of Gypsies 155 4. 2. 3. The Reception, Success and Side Effects 161 Chapter 5: The Artist as an Agent Provocateur 174 5. 1. The Benefits of International Recognition 178 5. 1. 1. Improvisations and Bertolt Brecht 180 5. 1. 2. It Rains in My Village, or It Will Be the End of the World Soon 184 5. 1. 3. Charting the Decline, Anticipating the Downfall 185 5. 2. Limelight as Light as Feathers 194 5. 2. 1. The Reception of the Village 196 5. 2. 2. Black Film 199 Chapter 6: The Artist as Master 216 6. 1. Aleksandar Petrović as the Master 221 6. 1. 1. Petrović and the Whirlpool of the Decentralisation Debate 221 6. 1. 2. Petrović, Literary Adaptations and his New Film 223 6. 1. 3. Bulgakov and Petrović on Art under Dogmatic Totalitarianism 226 6. 1. 4. The Master and Margarita – The Film 232 6. 1. 5. Petrović’s Margarita and the Master 233 6. 1. 6. The Reception of the Master 241 6. 2. The Master and his Student 245 6. 2. 1. Against the Devil with Plastic Jesus 246 6. 2. 2. Without Reconciliation 250 Chapter 7: The Artist in Exile 264 7. 1. Exile 267 7. 1. 1. Pornography, or Living as an Artist in the West 269 7. 1. 2. Petrović and Heinrich Böll 272 7. 1. 3. Group Portrait with Lady – The Film 275 7. 1. 4. Petrović’s Portrait of Germany 276 7. 1. 5. Style and Reception of the Portrait 285 Chapter 8: The Artist, Migrations, and the Last Days 296 8. 1. The Return 300 8. 1. 1. Screenplays and the Theatre 302 8. 2. Migrations and the Slow Processes of Rehabilitation 305 8. 2. 1. Petrović and Miloš Crnjanski 305 8. 2. 2. Rehabilitation without Reconciliation 308 8. 2. 3. Seobe or Migrations – The Film 310 8. 2. 4. Petrović’s Migrations 311 8. 3. The Lessons of Migrations and the Last Days 322 8. 3. 1. A Few Notes on Petrović’s Adaptations 322 8. 3. 2. Migrations Thus Far 324 8. 3. 3. Last Days 325 Conclusion 336 Filmography 346 Bibliography 356 Index 374 Back Cover 384 In The Liberal West As In Socialist Yugoslavia, The Films Of Aleksandar Petrović Dramatize How Enforced Dogmatism Can Corrode Any Political System. A Case Study Of The Oft-overlooked Yugoslav Director's Colorful And Eventful Career, A Portrait Of The Artist As A Political Dissident Explores How Petrović Developed Specific Political And Social Themes In His Films. A Response To The Political Vagaries Of His Time, These Anti-dogmatic Views Were Later To Become A Trademark Of His Work. Although Interest In Socialist Yugoslavia And Its Legacy Has Risen Steadily Since The 1990s, The History Of Yugoslav Cinema Has Been Scarcely Covered, And This Book Marks A Fresh Contribution To A Burgeoning Area Of Interest.--p. [4] Of Cover. Beginnings -- Shoulder To Shoulder -- Art As An Inquiry -- The Artist As A Feather Collector -- The Artist As An Agent Provocateur -- The Artist As Master -- The Artist In Exile -- The Artist, Migrations, And The Last Days. Vlastimir Sudar. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [341]-355) And Index. Aleksandar Saša Petrovic (1929-1994) was one of the most significant filmmakers to come out of Socialist Yugoslavia. He was by far the most awarded director on a national level, winning three Golden Arenas at the Yugoslav Film Festival in Pula, as well as receiving all the highest state awards. He was also acclaimed internationally, and the first Yugoslav director to win prizes at the Cannes Film Festival, in 1967, as well as Oscar nominations in 1967 and 1968. His film, I Even Met Happy Gypsies (1967), was seen by 200,000 people in Paris alone, and was extensively distributed worldwide. The a In the liberal West as in socialist Yugoslavia, the films of Aleksandar Petrovic dramatize how enforced dogmatism can corrode any political system. A case study of the oft-overlooked Yugoslav director's colorful and eventful career, this book explores how Petrovic developed specific political and social themes in his films.