TURNEJA

Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia

Synopsis

1993, the bleakest time of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A group of actors from Belgrade, utterly unaware of what they’re setting themselves up for, embark on a search for quick earnings – on a “tour” around the Serbian Krajina. However, there they are thrust into the heart of war and begin to wander from warfront to warfront, from one army to the next. During their horrible journey they meet Serbian, Muslim and Croatian fghters, are faced with hopeless situations butvalways seem to work their way out of them. Their naivety, which puts them in the midst of these horrifc events in the frst place, is also what saves them. While putting their acting skills to use, they manage to save themselves from perilous situations they encounter every step of the way. During their “tour”, filled with various ordeals and serious humiliation, they preserve the quality that every actor must have – a childish passion for play. That quality is so far removed from what is in the souls of the people who are at war that it leaves the fends around them perplexed and protects the group of actors during their entire journey, as a sort of guardian angel. A few days later,they return to their theatre as diferent people. The war had changed them: they are no longer the innocent, child-like creatures who look forward to play but people with a dark shadow cast over their souls.

Director's Statement

Every film about war is by definition an anti-war film. Art is by nature on the side of man, on the side of life, and against destruction and death. Thus, there need be no dilemma when it comes to the viewpoint THE TOUR is taking: this film will be heavily engaged in condemning the bloody events which recently took place on the territory of former Yugoslavia. However, what is special about this film is its perspective about that horrific war. It will be presented through a special group of actors who view the world a bit differently than the rest. The actors are at the same time a serious and frivolous sort. The nature of their art contains something very childish but also very, very deep. They often act like children, unaware of the complexity of the tasks life sets before them, but also like creatures who are able better than anyone else to adapt the essence of man’s destiny into something comprehensible to all. They are both children and philosophers, irresponsible yet very engaged, superficial yet passionate. The paradoxical position of the actor facing the atrocities of war is the main theme of this story. All the horrible things will be presented in a somewhat comic manner, with humorous situations easily developing into tragic ones. This film will be a classic road movie by type, but its more specific classification would be a war comedy - or a tragicomedy, if you will.
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Cast & Crew

Written by: Goran Marković

Produced by: Tihomir Stanić, Svetozar Cvetković

Cinematography: Radoslav Vladić

Cast: Dragan Nikolić, Mira Furlan, Jelenda Djokić, Josif Tatić, Gordan Kičić, Slavko Štimac, Tihomir Stanić, Trifunović

Nominations and Awards

  • Feature Film Selection 2009