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Filmmakers' correspondence becomes a book chronicling a somber era
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท Croatia /Culture & Society

Filmmakers' correspondence becomes a book chronicling a somber era

From Veฤernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A book titled "Jesi li snimio ovo?" (Did you film this?) is described as a lively and entertaining chronicle of a somber era, created through the correspondence of filmmakers Goran Markoviฤ‡ and Rajko Grliฤ‡.
  • The book, published by Laguna in Belgrade and Telegram in Zagreb, captures the intellectual exchanges and shared experiences of the two directors, who were friends and collaborators since their film studies.
  • Both Markoviฤ‡ and Grliฤ‡ were considered political dissidents, facing different forms of suppression and challenges within their respective cultural and political environments in Yugoslavia and post-Yugoslavia.

A new book, "Jesi li snimio ovo?" (Did you film this?), offers a unique glimpse into a challenging era through the written correspondence between acclaimed filmmakers Goran Markoviฤ‡ and Rajko Grliฤ‡. Described as a "smart, lively, and entertaining book," it functions as a four-handed diary of a somber epoch, showcasing the intellectual interplay and shared experiences of two prominent figures in Yugoslav and ex-Yugoslav cinema.

Published simultaneously by Laguna in Belgrade and Telegram in Zagreb, the book stems from an initiative by Veljko Laliฤ‡, editor of the online platform Velike Priฤe. Laliฤ‡ encouraged the two directors, who have known each other since their student days in Prague and have collaborated on various projects, to correspond and potentially create a book about themselves and their time.

Markoviฤ‡ and Grliฤ‡, nearly the same age, have had distinguished careers in film and academia. Both were also political dissidents. Grliฤ‡ was compelled to leave Croatia in 1991 and move to the United States, while Markoviฤ‡ opposed Slobodan Miloลกeviฤ‡'s regime in the 1990s. In the 21st century, Markoviฤ‡ faced professional challenges under Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ‡'s government, being removed from his professorial post and hindered in his filmmaking. The book captures their distinct personalities: Grliฤ‡, an auto-ironic hedonist, and Markoviฤ‡, a depressive introvert, both navigating complex political and artistic landscapes.

Did you film this?

โ€” Goran Markoviฤ‡ and Rajko Grliฤ‡The title of the book, reflecting their shared experiences and artistic output.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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