Enklava (2015) Reviews

• Great movie which very realistically shows the life on Kosovo,province of Serbia.

  petar-simic82015-03-04

  Enklava is a great movie which very realistically shows the life on Kosovo,province of Serbia.It doesn't stand on neither side,nor Serbian,nor Albanian.It just shows the rough life that it is.Great performance from one of the best Serbian actors Nebojsa Glogovac.Very lovable roles of a Serbian and the Albanian boys.Anica Dobra has a good performance as Vojas(Glogovac) sister who fled to Belgrade.The end is very heartbreaking as it shows young boy Nenad who moved to Belgrade and his first day in new school and the children who make jokes of him and don't understand what he has been through.Movie is very deep and moving,it really makes you think about all the benefits of your life and the horror of war.

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• Children Are Watching Us

  princip-851-268152015-10-17

  CHILDREN ARE WATCHING US About the narrative in the feature film "The Enclave" by Goran Radovanović The surreal daily life of the Serbian civilians in the rare enclaves in present-day Kosovo can potentially represent an extraordinarily inspiring theme for filmmakers. Despite that, with the exception of several courageous documentary reports (recorded immediately after the arrival of KFOR and the first pogroms against Serbs in the southern province in 1999 and 2000) - so far only Sonja Blagojević, in her feature-length documentary Kosma filmed in 2013, tackled the complicated task of covering this topic in a concrete, feature film form. Goran Radovanović goes back to this issue in an entirely different form of a feature film with his The Enclave resulting from a Serb-German co-production, and completed in 2014. The boy who observes daily his homeland through the oblong little window of a KFOR armored personnel carrier that Italian troops drive him in to and from school; the deserted Serbian school attended by just one pupil, which definitely closes down when the last remaining teacher leaves; the constant feeling of anxiety and danger that the remaining, rare Serbs - tracked by the cross-hairs of automatic weapons - have grown accustomed to, just as they have to the air they breathe, are all motifs taken from the painful reality that the author skillfully blends into a unique and rounded narrative of his feature film. From compelling, factual scenes of everyday life reactivated archaic forms stand out, two ritually and mythically founded motives which also constitute the backbone of the plot and the background for the culmination and the denouement of Radovanović's film: the death and the burial of the oldest member of the Serbian household, and the engagement and the wedding in a neighboring Albanian home. Still, key momentum to the plot is given by the motive of the need sensed by the lonely Serb boy (played by Filip Šubarić) to play with his Albanian peers (Denis Murić, Nenad Stanojković and Milan Sekulić). It's an unusual game: dangerous and full of mistrust, but soon enough harmless too; a game between enemies, guided by specters of the past which occasionally allows - thorough children's oblivion for reality, to tear down barriers of centuries old intolerance and carefully cultivated hatred. Their relationship, evolving in the playing field unfenced by crude reality, reflects in a weird, twisted way the rapport of their parents and of the feuding ethnic groups. In the constant and dizzying ambiguity of the game, the narrative resists the temptation to slip into non-reality of fairy tales, or into cheap and pathetic "politically correct" propaganda on coexistence and tolerance. In the critical moment, the legacy of hatred and traumas from the recent past will still burst out from the playful boys - and after this dramatic culmination, The Enclave is resolved through a non-linear, skipping and mosaic, fully unconventional narrative which harbors the greatest value and the salient feature of Radovanović's new film. With a precise as well as unusual and unpredictable combination of parallel editing with flash-forwards and deliberate omission of important segments of the plot, the author compiles - with the great help of the editor Andrija Zafranović (whose contribution to this film exceeds by far the usual professional parameters) - the entirety using an approach and a form of narration typical of artistic films. Because the effect of the chosen non-linear, elliptical and leaping storytelling in the final third of The Enclave is not used up just in the stressed tension and drama in the suggestiveness of scenes that amplify the empathy of the viewers with the drama of the protagonist, the ten-year-old boy Nenad. Along with the emphasized catharsis, this approach also brings, in the film finale, undeniable poetic qualities, unusualness and revived secrecy of reality that emerges from the decomposed infantile experience of the adult world. David Lynch lucidly noted in an interview that childhood is a sort of drunkenness and ontological intoxication with the world and life, and The Enclave discretely gives us back that experience, suggesting it with its very structure, and thoughtfully selected and executed storytelling strategy. Srdjan Vučinić

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• A look at a childhood life in the conflicted zone.

  Reno-Rangan2016-03-04

  An anti war movie set in the Kosovo region of Serbia. Its about the minority Christians living in a remote village. The others are moved out from there except a family of three - a boy, his father and grandfather who lived there for generations refused to leave. The movie depicted the threat they are faced every day in their life. But the tale was seen through the boy's eye as he's the only one kid from his community with no friends. Co-produced by Germany, it was sent to represent Serbia for the 2016 Oscars. It was a slow beginning, but ended on a high note. A sensitive theme, but very well made movie. It is hard to imagine living a life in this part when it was surrounded by conflict that can burst out anytime. To move around the places, you need a protector, an armored vehicle to transport. Actually the movie won't show any major violences, especially the face-off between two ethnic groups. Maybe that's for the best and to avoid fresh intrigue. The film aimed to spread peace message through the friendship. So the story focused mainly on the kids and their perspective on the issue. But that's not at all, to the end, the narration shifts to a different location and lets us know how the past follows them to haunt the rest of their life. "Tell the bishop that if he's a true Serb he should not be afraid. He can saddle his horse, won't ride in that armored vehicle." It was a 90 minute long movie, yet I felt it ended very early. Because the pace was good and only due to the realistic approach it looked kind of dull, but all the way it engaged with the story development and with the new characters till the final act. Very interesting story progress, for every few minutes it begins to take a new turn, so hard to guess where it is heading or how it's going to end. The lines were calm and cool, even the shoutings, but when I suddenly hear gunshots, that's really aloud and created a severe panicking atmosphere like that something wrong might going happen. Reason for that is, the place was kind feels peaceful zone, at least for us as the viewers who don't know the earlier events. I liked the kids' performances, obviously the boy in the lead. It is a children's movie, because they acted in it, but the theme is a little strong for the kids to watch, I think PG required. The location was great, the camera work was excellent, some of the distant shots and its angles were so good. The overall movie was better than I anticipated, especially the third act was a lot more suspenseful, but kind of displeased with the editing in that part. Because they aimed for a twist to present scenes in the non chronological order. I think that was unnecessary for a this smoothly going narration, but it was not that bad at all. Actually, I took some time to realise how good it was, only after a quick recap about what I saw and to guess what the filmmaker is trying to say. Believe me, initially I thought it was a decent, but was way better and I think a fine message deliverer. It is a little unheard movie for many of us from the southeast Europe, yet worth a try once you came to know about it. 8/10

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• Great movie, but only on the surface

  djokovic752015-03-05

  I don't write reviews. Don't know why anyone read reviews anyway, it would be smarter just to go and watch whatever you think its interesting for you to watch. But for this movie, I have to say something. I'm from Kosovo. Born and raised there. And I very well know the whole situation, and movie has been placed well. Everything that you see is true - all the pain and suffering of a little Serbian boy, all the bad treatment of his father, the Serbian Albanian relationship, corrupt police, very cynical international police, everything is right, correct and in place, not at all exaggerated, its even worse, if you ask me. But, I have to state some critics as well (but it will not matter for you if you ex-pat and not from Kosovo): 1. It's not possible that father and son have two different accents. They are not extremely different, but they are different, and thats were director failed, and where main actor who's really good actor, but born in Bosnia and Hercegovina and raised in Belgrade, in which accent is really different (difference between the accents of Kosova and Belgrade is something like being from Bristol and Leeds, or even better -Newcastle)) failed as well. 2. There are many holes in the script, but just to mention big one - it doesn't matter that their grandmother was Serbian but no 10year old Albanian kid would ever know how to speak Serbian in 2004 (or later) I'll stop here. Would like to mention once again that all the minuses are not relevant if you are foreigner, but they are visible for someone who's from Kosovo. Anyway, please watch the movie, its worth watching.

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• A Drop Of Happiness, An Ocean Of Sorrow

  NenadPirnat2015-10-17

  A DROP OF HAPPINESS, AN OCEAN OF SORROW Film: "The Enclave", written and directed by Goran Radovanović; Cast: Filip Šubarić, Denis Murić, Nenad Stanojković, Milan Sekulić, Nebojša Glogovac, Anica Dobra, Meto Jovanovski, Miodrag Krivokapić, Nenad Jezdić; Duration: 92 minutes; Production: Serbia /Germany, 2015. Motion picture history comprises numerous great movies about important topics and important messages, with the story being told from the perspective of children. What comes to my mind are Kusturica's "When Father Was Away on Business", Kiarostami's "Where Is the Friend's Home", Panahi's "The White Balloon" or Majidi's "Children of Heaven", "The Color of Paradise" and "Father"... A bright example of this kind of films is without a doubt "The Enclave" written and directed by Goran Radovanović. Radovanović deals with the enormous difficulties faced in life by the Serbian communities, living - after the rather recent war and terror pogrom in Kosovo and Metohija - in small, isolated zones - the enclaves, and talks about this from the perspective of Serbian and Albanian children. With full might, a just measure and touching humanity. In every movie drama is greater and stronger and hurts more if all the categories existing in the adult world are reflected through the eyes of child characters. Viewers' emotions are then also amplified, and in all this covertly lies the trap of the film slipping into pathetic. Radovanović skillfully avoided this in the "The Enclave" by sternly guiding the child actors (and the entire cast) and with his mature dramaturgy that follows a melodramatic line of action decently and convincingly, pointing to the causes and consequences of mistrust and violence. With full authorial responsibility and with great sensitivity, aesthetically sophisticated, Radovanović dives together with his young movie heroes, and with the viewers into the world of daily uncertainty of life in a sort of ghetto quite unique in present day Europe. Into the world of children with a wronged childhood, forced to grow up too quickly. In solitude, with no friends, their eyes fixed on the world of adults who gradually teach them hatred and fear - feelings that are utterly unnatural for children. Such a world is ruled by limited freedom of movement, being transported to and from school and demolished churches and cemeteries in the dark and cramped womb of a KFOR APC, and by everyday problems with Albanian neighbors... This is where young Nenad (Filip Šubarić) is growing up, alongside his father (Nebojša Glogovac) who is trying to obliterate his sorrows by drinking, his grandfather Milutin (Meto Jovanovski) who is on his deathbed and is also the boys best friend as he has no other, and with the everyday presence of the only remaining priest (Miodrag Krivokapić) determined to build a new church on the charred remains of the old one. Equally lonely is the Albanian young shepherd (Denis Murić) from the neighboring village, growing up without a father behind the high walls of his relatives' house which is full of weapons, hostility and yearning for revenge. There are two other Albanian boys (Nenad Stanojković, Milan Sekulić), who stone the KFOR armored transporter every time it drives by carrying Nenad. They do it not because of hatred but out of childish jealousy. They would like to take a ride in the APC, but not being Serbs their only chance of realizing their wish is to have Nenad intercede for them. Children easily find a common language ... This seemingly simple plot, brings to the surface all the difficulties, the complexity and the tragedy of life in Kosovo and Metohija. Radovanović gradually introduces other characters - Nenad's aunt Milica (Anica Dobra), coming from Belgrade to be by her dying father's side, a bus driver (Nenad Jezdić) who stoically bears being harassed along with his passengers, a Serbian member of the Kosovo Police (Goran Radaković), the German EULEX representative... - thus expanding the overall picture of a given space and time, steering the film with determination and firmness to the very end. All the way to Nenad's encounter as a refugee with the accelerated, parvenu and self-centered Belgrade, where he will immediately be given the nickname "Albanian". And to his essay in class titled "My best friend", when the Albanian shepherd that saved his life, and is now so far away, reappears before his eyes... "The Enclave" - with the masterful photography by German cinematographer Axel Schneppat which is one of the pillars of the film, with the sophisticated editing by Andrija Zafranović, the production design by Vladislav Lasić and functional music by Eleni Karaindru and Irena Popović - is also a film based on modern and dynamic cinematic language, wonderfully selected actors (the meddling of the experienced casting director Boban Dedeić can be noted). It is also a film in which Goran Radovanović skillfully integrated his documentary-film experience in a visual-poetic feature film, offering the possibility of a catharsis, and indicating the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation. "The Enclave" is a film in which the drop of happiness is so small and the ocean of sorrow is immense. But the sorrow is not of the kind that crushes, but rather induces awareness, purifies and heals. If you let it. Dubravka Lakić Published: 03/20/2015

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