For sure this film will have a different impact and meaning on somebody who is acquainted with the situation in this part of Europe during the end of the second world war and soon after it. So to somebody who lives or lived there mostly. But on the other hand similar situations were being seen many many times so far in human history.
The same situation triggers different emotions in different characters. The way they were raised and the background of their lives (cultural background in this case) define their behavior. Three nations, three cultures, three different approaches to the same situation.
Many who are brainwashed will judge or favour how some cultures were shown but in fact it does have nothing to do with it. The plot was just used for something completely else.
The winners are overpowered, joyful, proud, avenging and even ferocious. Fear and anxiety are emotions of the haunted.
But eventually they are all lost and confused. And when love comes in between it turns everything even more upside down.
In reality there are no winners and losers. There are just people who were pushed in those situations. Each one of them dealt with it in their own way. And learned or hasn't learned a lesson.
I believe some scenes were too long. Maybe deliberately to emphasize the emotions of the characters but I found it sometimes disturbing. Some actors could perform better. And in my opinion the camera could do a better job also. It was all dark. Maybe again on purpose...
Goran Vojnovic is definitely one of the most promising young directors in sLOVEnia at the moment. The theme described in the movie is still touchy from some point of view. Goran was trying to be as realistic as possible though and on the other side to show something completely else as already stated before. In my opinion he succeeded to achieve that to a quite high level.
