Yugoslav black wave

The term Black Wave was not used by filmmakers to self-identify directions. It arose later from critical reviews of official authorities, which most likely used the image from a speech by the “nomenclature” writer of the Union of Communists of Yugoslavia Milovan Djilas (later repressed) at the Fifth Congress of this party in defense of socialist realism from external influence ^[1] :

In the post-war period - and should continue to be - in its ideological and political struggle, the party proceeded from the conviction that there are three sources of enemy influence on the working masses of our country. This is the influence of the black wave of imperialist ideology and propaganda, the influence of the overthrown capitalist clique ... and, finally, the influence of destructive bourgeois forces ...

The first to apply to new trends in the cinema of Yugoslavia of the 1960s, this term was used in the Borba newspaper by journalist Vladimir Dzhovichich, who adhered to the official communist point of view ^[2] .

Among the artistic features of the movement, in addition to those mentioned above, it is necessary to name: non-traditional forms of presentation of the plot and presentation of the video sequence, black humor , fatalistic finals. As the culmination stage of the development of the direction, which has absorbed all these elements, experts call the release of Zhilimir Zhilnik's film “ Early Work ” ^[2] .

Modern critics believe that the direction of the Yugoslav black wave in the early 1960s arose in opposition to the absolute dominance of socialist realism in the 1950s. In this confrontation, the optimism of presentation was replaced by pessimism, the heroes by anti-heroes, social outsiders, the scene was moved to an urban suburb, and sometimes just to a dump. At the same time, the Serbian writer and journalist Alexander Dunderin , for example, believes that it is wrong to look for the roots of the direction only in disagreement with the socialist (communist) authorities. The Yugoslav black wave opposes the immutability, ossification of society in the broad sense, outside the ruling political regimes, as happened with the authors of poetic realism in France in the 1930s, in the noir cinema of the USA in the late 1940s - early 1950s, and even among individual Soviet and Czech filmmakers of the late 1950s ^[3] . In addition, young cinematographers of Central Europe and the growing trends of cinema, such as “black” films of Polish and Hungarian authors, the Czechoslovak New Wave ( Milos Forman , Otakar Wavra , Ivan Passer and others), New German Cinema ( Peter Lilienthal ) had an unconditional mutual influence. , Rainer Werner Fasbinder , Werner Herzog and others). The clear aesthetic connection of new trends in European art has allowed a number of critics to call the Black Wave the New Yugoslav cinema ^[4] .

A serious role in shaping the aesthetics of a new wave of different countries was played by the need for self-expression. The directors are interested in the man himself, outside of any artificially created political structures and ideological cliches. Elementary manifestations of existence came to the movie screen - banal, comical, miserable, sublime, and most importantly - completely ignoring other people's utilitarian opinions ^[5] .

Director Dushan Makaveev believes that the main reason that allowed such a free social and artistic direction in the cinema of Yugoslavia to be formed during this period was a significant weakening of the censorship of government officials in the creative process from the beginning of the 1960s. This, including significantly affected by the economic crisis in the United States cinema ^[6] . The rise in price of filming processes in America led to their transfer to Europe, mostly to Italy (the phenomenon of spaghetti westerns ). Italy, in turn, delegated part of its functions to Yugoslavia, where large populations of horses remained in agriculture, the labor force for the construction of scenery was inexpensive and affordable, and the government provided soldiers almost for nothing as extras for mass scenes. Yugoslav studios were loaded with orders from abroad (at that time, in particular, filming of such large projects as “ 55 Days in Beijing ” and “ Viking Ships ” took place), as a result of which free cash resources were formed in the cinematic budget, and several young directors got the opportunity to finance the filming of full-length art projects. In this mode, for example, Dushan Makaveev shot his films “ A Man Is Not a Bird ” and “A Love Story or the Tragedy of a Telephone Operator ”. He recalls that the officials, keen on collaborating with American studios, were practically not interested in the results of the work of the young creative group: “they either did not understand or were not worried about what we were doing ... And the people who understood what we were doing loved us” ^[6] .

Konstantin Parvulescu, a professor of cinema history at the University of Timisoara (Romania) and the University of Washington (USA), precisely stated that "censorship in Yugoslavia of the 1960s simply relaxed and lost control in the field of art" ^[7]

Alexander Petrovich

Fern and Fire (1965)

One of the first works of the Yugoslav black wave was the film "Three" by Alexander Petrovich (at the box office of the USSR " Fern and Fire "). He talks about three episodes from the military past of the partisan, and later the officer of the Yugoslav army Milos Boyanich , in each of which he faces the choice of life and death. The picture was the first in the post-war history of Yugoslavia, which analyzed the roles of victims and executioners, crime and punishment, which according to existing dogmas could not be subjected to analysis or rethinking. The film journalist Petar Volk in the book “The History of Yugoslav Cinema” claims that the film is the first work about the national liberation war, which completely rejects previous experience and creates strong, open metaphors ^[8] . Surprisingly, the film, which contradicts the official point of view on the heroism of the partisan movement, was well received by the authorities, released to the rental countries of the socialist camp, nominated for an Oscar from Yugoslavia as the best foreign language film.

Feather Buyers (1967)

“ Feather Buyers ” is a bright full-length work by Aleksandr Petrovich, telling about the life and life of contemporary ethnic Gypsies who live in northern Vojvodina . Two men - Bora and Mirta - are fighting for the opportunity to buy goose feathers from the local population and, at the same time, for the attention of the local beauty Tisa , a young and out-of-age girl. The film incorporates not only rich semi-documentary ethnographic material, but also all the basic elements of the artistic direction of the black wave . The reflection of the impoverished existence of the Roma (at the same time the citizens of socialist Yugoslavia) is an openly critical, oppositional view of reality contrary to the declarations of Titoism . One of the scenes - Bora's ripping open of drunken bags of feathers on board a moving truck - is interpreted by critics in the sense that the dream of a happy life in a “socialist paradise” is scattered like fluff ^[9] . Moreover, such a rather narrow vision is characteristic of the analysts of the “capitalist camp” and bears some character of the existing political conjuncture . It is necessary to pay attention to other features of the direction: scenes of drunken feasts and card games occur on different days, but are displayed, repeating, in the same interior, in the same static poses of the same participants (fractional editing, collage); in the finale, there is an abuse of Tisza, the murder of Myrtle and the forced disappearance of Bora (tragic ending). Doctor of Philosophy Slobodan Naumovich , Associate Professor of the Department of Philosophy, University of Belgrade , believes that the essence of the characters is antiheroic, but deeply human. Individual marginalized groups and individuals confront official institutions and the ideological bustle that later becomes the “trademark” of Petrovich’s cinematic rhetoric ^[10] .

Zhivoin Pavlovich

“When I Will Be Dead and White” (1967)

“ When I Will Be Dead and White ” is the work of another author of the Black Wave Zhivoin Pavlovich. Extremely naturalistic, almost documentary drama about the young cheater Jimi Bark . The director (and later a classic of Serbian literature) develops and enriches the expressive means of direction: the exact details characterize the simplicity, almost poverty, life and social disorder of ordinary citizens. Dialogues, often contrary to the video sequence, create an atmosphere of black humor, sarcastic irony. The tragic ending - the death of the protagonist - we expect, moreover, is inevitable.

In 1996, the Yugoslav Academy of Motion Picture Arts named the film the fifth of the best Serbian films made since 1947. ^[11] Along with the film Awakening Rats , this tape is called by some sources the best work of the director in the style of the Yugoslav black wave ^[12] . According to the American director John Schlesinger , the film made a strong impression on him and became a source of inspiration for his painting “ Midnight Cowboy ”.

Zhelimir Zhilnik

Early Work (1969)

In an allegorical form, “Early Works” tells the story of four young people (three young men and a girl with a speaking name Yugoslav) who challenged the petty-bourgeois routine of everyday life. Desiring to “change the world”, inspired by the works of Karl Marx , they travel around the country to “wake up the consciousness of people” in order to call them to fight for real liberation.

The picture is a reflection of the young director’s views on the social protests of 1968 , the June student demonstrations in Belgrade and the occupation of Czechoslovakia in August of that year ^[13] . Most of the artistic techniques of the Yugoslav black wave were embodied in the picture: unconventional forms of presentation of the plot and presentation of the video sequence (in the film - fractional editing, torn rhythm, inextricable connection of production scenes with documentary filming), consideration of social problems from the point of view opposed to the existing government (reluctance most of the inhabitants of rural areas to support any radical changes, reaching the point of aggressive opposition), black humor (a scene of simultaneous defecation of heroes, accompanied by given by the dispute absurd in this situation, inappropriate quoting of “ Capital ” for any reason), fatalistic finals (conspiracy and betrayal of Yugoslavia, its execution).

Dushan Makaveev

WR Mysteries of the Body (1971)

“ WR Mysteries of the Body ” is the fourth full-length film of Dusan Makoveev of the Yugoslav period of creativity. The initials of WR in the title indicate Wilhelm Reich - an Austrian psychologist with a difficult fate, an ambiguous scientific and entrepreneurial career. The tragic fate of an extravagant scientist during his American emigration (he was accused of using illegal methods of treatment and died in prison before trial) was the basis of the film with a significant share of fiction.

The film was well received by international film critics ^{[14] [15]} , received several festival awards, and was later included in the curriculum of most universities with film history departments.

A cinematic study of the theory of orgonic energy ^{[16] was} accompanied, among other things, by frank scenes of demonstration of sexual intercourse (at that time going beyond the framework of the accepted cinematic language). The main heroine, who is the embodiment of the ideas of life and love, is opposed by the Soviet skater with a speaking name Vladimir Ilyich - an anti-communist attack with outright “black” irony. According to the established style of this artistic direction, the finale is gloomy and woefully funny: an athlete from the USSR cuts off the heroine’s head with a blade of a figure skate.

Other authors

In addition to the four indisputable leaders of this artistic direction, the contemporary critics and the authors themselves in various interviews mention a number of directors and their films, which are close to the Black Wave ideologically and using the expressive means used ^{[4] [12] [17]} : Mikhail Popovich (“The Man from oak grove ”, Serbian. Chowek from Khrastove Noise , 1963, and“ Roy ”, Serbian Roј , 1966); George Kadievich (" Holiday ", 1967, and " Campaign ", 1968); Jovan Zivanovich (“ Cause of death not to be mentioned ”, 1968) and others.

Although the best films of the Yugoslav black wave were created by the directors of Serbia, Croatian filmmakers were also participants in this process. The most famous classic film of this direction in Croatia is “ Handcuffs ” ( Croatian Lisice , 1969) directed by Krsto Papić , the first of the works of art to highlight the gap between Tito and Stalin in 1948 ^[17] .

As mentioned, the beginning of the political persecution of the spokesmen of this artistic direction dates back to the article in the Yugoslav newspaper “Struggle” dated August 3, 1969, prepared by journalist Vladimir Dzhovichich, “The Black Wall in our cinema”. He wrote ^[18] :

The black wave in Yugoslav films systematically distorts the present, in which everything is viewed through a monochrome lens. Her themes are an unclear and incorrect vision of reality, images of violence, moral degeneration, suffering, indecency and vulgarity.

In 1969-1971, the persecution ranged from harsh criticism to direct bullying in the press. In 1971-1972, all films of the above authors were banned for rent on the direct instructions of the authorities, and the only possible state funding for new projects was discontinued. Books in which the directors tried to defend their position and the right to work, by decision of the court, were withdrawn from sale. In 1972, it came to direct threats of physical violence. One of his acquaintances, Zhelimir Zhilnik, showed him an official letter to the newspaper's editors, which ordered him not to mention the names of Makaveev, Petrovich, Pavlovich, and Zhilnik in any article, except for the publication of obituaries about their sudden death . The director went to Germany the very next day ^[2] . On one of the days of 1973, Dushan Makaveev accidentally discovered that the wheel bolts on his car were filed. Fearing further revenge of the authorities, he urgently emigrated to France ^[19] . It should be noted that the political opal did not last long for the directors. Each of them was able to return to Yugoslavia even before the socio-political transformations in Eastern Europe at the end of the 20th century .

Critics note that although the dissident ideology of the representatives of the black wave and the loyal views of the government of Emir Kusturitsa contradict, nevertheless, the artistic expressive means they use have undeniable similarities, and the cultural affinity of the works of these filmmakers is obvious ^[10] . Goran Paskalevich and Emir Kusturica, who made them a kind of film brand of Serbia ^[3] , are the direct successors of Petrovich in the development of themes of everyday life and customs of gypsies in northern Serbia ^[3] . But if Paskalevich is less interested in social and conflict issues, then Kusturica sometimes openly confronts the “prosperous” consumer of the Western world ^[10] :

If you yourself ask us for unrestrained passion, blood and dirt, then we will give you passion, blood and dirt, but do not say afterwards that this is not what you wanted. And it’s not our fault if your life, civilization and endlessly boring life loses its meaning compared to the life we ​​live with painful and dirty, but rich and full of deep human feelings.

This statement echoes the message about the antagonism of cultures of another main exponent of black wave ideas - Dushan Makaveev, which he cited in the epigraph to the 1981 film “ Montenegro ” (the quote was not finalized at the insistence of the Swedish producer) ^[19] :

This film is dedicated to the new invisible nation of Europe, ranking fourth out of 11 million immigrants and migrant workers who moved to the North to use your wealth and wealth, and brought along dirty habits, bad manners and the smell of garlic.

To

The artistic features of the Yugoslav black wave evoked and evoke not only positive reviews from film theorists, but they are also quite sharply criticized by modern Serbian writers and cultural scientists . One of the main claims is the rejection of all the moral and spiritual values ​​of the nation, including a deep contempt for the Serbian Orthodox Church , which is especially noticeable in the painting “Feather Buyers”. This film has become artistically successful and acclaimed by international critics. Since then, awards at international film festivals have become a convenient argument for introducing negative judgments about Yugoslavia, especially about Serbia. At the same time, it was a clear signal to the national authors of such films, what international “experts” want from them ^[3] .

In contrast to the works of Petrovich, the work of the director Jovan Zivanovich and his film “ The reason for death not to be mentioned ” (1968), where, along with the external aesthetics of the Yugoslav black wave, the director managed to show, according to Alexander Dunderin, “the whole splendor of Serbian church art and clergy. " The dispute between the tapes of Jovan Zivanovich and Alexander Petrovich represents a conflict between two groups within the black wave . The winner, in the opinion of the publicist, was Alexander Petrovich: the talent of the director provided him with leadership; the mastery of the filmmaker played a key role in educating the new generation of Serbian film artists and in creating a new cinematic taste for Serbian viewers. But, in the opinion of the same critic, the film has one feature that is dogma - this is only one good film that criticizes and even exaggerates the shortcomings of its people, which challenges and turns into a farce any tradition, spiritual, cultural and national value, in which patriotism in art looks like a miserable phenomenon ^[3] .

To Makaveev

Dusan Makaveev was repeatedly condemned for too loose interpretation or even distortion of the ideas of the psychologist and psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich allowed by the director in the films “WR Mysteries of the Body” and “ Sweet Film ”. Ph.D. James de Meo, founder and director of the biophysical laboratory of orgonic energy in Oregon , USA, accuses Makaveev of cheap and illiterate speculation on the ideas of Reich, of trying to use them to attract scandalous attention and cover up creative insolvency ^[20] . According to the author, calls for free love and sexual licentiousness have nothing to do with Reich's ideas about lifting the taboo from versatile sex education. The demonstration of child seduction scenes comes into direct confrontation with the work of a psychoanalyst who called for thorough protection of children from adult molesters. James de Meo concludes that Makaveev only uses the name of Reich, who received scandalous fame in the United States, covering up his own creative failure.

Some film critics agree with the opinion of the scientist. The expert of the filmcritic.com portal Christopher Null, in his annotation for the 2007 release of the DVD edition of the film “WR Mysteries of the Body,” explicitly suggests that Makaveev’s mental illness ^[21] . Film critic John Weber classifies Sweet Movie as “strange, bad, unpleasant, difficult, inappropriate movie” ^[22] . It should be borne in mind that the picture “WR Mysteries of the body” is included in the compulsory curriculum of many higher educational institutions specializing in cinematography ^[19] .

• Chernukha

• Tirnanić B. Crni talas. - Beograd: Filmski centar Srbije, 2008 .-- ISBN 978-86-7227-056-3 .
• Dekjur G. Jugoslovenski crni talas. - Beograd: Filmski centar Srbije, 2011 .-- ISBN 978-86-7227-069-3 .

• “Zabranjeni bez zabrane” (≈ Russian. Prohibited without prohibition ) excerpts of a documentary on YouTube (English)