(Father)
Srdan Golubović

Serbia – France – Germany – Croatia – Slovenia – Bosnia and Herzegovina
2020, HD, col., 120’
Serbian o.v.

1) The premise is based on a real story and on a real man. What in this story inspired you to make the film? Did you meet with the real person that inspired you to make this film?
2) How did you feel when you shot outside Belgrade, in the Serbian countryside, far from your usual urban landscape?
3) You conceived the film like a triptych, with an initial dramatic segment, a final social denunciation and a central scene, with the journey of the protagonist, both physical and emotional, which is very different from the beginning and the end. Why did you want this narrative and formal structure to your film?

Sceneggiatura / Screenplay: Srdan Golubović, Ognjen Sviličić. Fotografia / Photography: Aleksandar Ilić. Montaggio/Editing: Petar Marković. Suono / Sound: Bruno Tarrière, Erik Mischijew, Corina Fleig. Scenografia / Art Director: Goran Joksimović. Costumi / Costume Designer: Ljiljanja Petrović. Interpreti / Cast: Goran Bogdan, Boris Isaković, Nada Šargin, Milica Janevski, Muharem Hamzić, Ajla Šantić, Vahid Džanković, Milan Marić, Jovo Maksić, Nikola Rakočević. Produzione / Produced by: Film House Baš Čelik, A.S.A.P. Films, Neue Mediopolis Filmproduktion, Vertigo, Propeler Film, SCCA/ Pro.Ba. Coproduzione / Co-produced by: ZDF Arte, Arte France. Con la partecipazione di / With the participation: Film Center Serbia, Ministarstvo kulture Republike Srbije, Eurimages, Arte France, ZDF Arte, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, CNC, Ministère Français de la Culture et de la Communication – Institut Français – Aides aux Cinémas du Monde, Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Slovenian Film Centre, Fondacija za kinematografiju Sarajevo, Creative Europe Programme – MEDIA of the European Union, Viba Film. Distribuzione internazionale / World Sales: The Match Factory.

ITALIAN PREMIERE

A small town in Serbia. Nikola, day laborer and father of two, is ordered to give up his children to social services after poverty and hunger drive his wife to commit a desperate act. Until he can provide adequate conditions for their upbringing, the children will be placed in foster care. Despite Nikola’s best efforts and several appeals, the head of the social services centre refuses to return his children and his situation seems hopeless. But when Nikola discovers the local administration may be corrupt, he decides to travel across Serbia on foot and take his case directly to the national ministry in Belgrade.
Father premiered in the “Panorama” section at the latest Berlinale, where the film won the Audience Award.

“Father is inspired by an actual event and an actual man. When I first read his story the father who inspired the film was already in front of the Ministry of Labour, protesting and demanding his children be returned to him … For days I went to see him and offer my support. I realised that there was something very special to his story, something inspirational and cinematic, a Balkans-style Paris, Texas of sorts. Also, I was intrigued by the walking, as an act of protest and freedom … As well as of revolt and resistance … My great inspiration was Yugoslav Black Wave, films by Makavejev, Petrović, Pavlović and Žilnik. Their films are uncompromising and brave … Another great source of inspiration while writing the script for this film was Werner Herzog’s diary, Of Walking in Ice. His record of his three-week-long journey, from Munich to Paris on foot in January 1974.” (S. Golubović)

Srdan Golubović
Film director and writer, Srdan Golubović was born in Belgrade in 1972. Member of EFA, he teaches film directing at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. The Trieste Film Festival presented all his films.

filmografia scelta / selected filmography
2001 Apsolutnih sto (Absolute Hundred) 2007 Klopka (The Trap) 2013 Krugovi (Circles); Premi / Awards: Sundance FF – Premio speciale della giuria / Special Jury Award; Sarajevo FF – Premio del pubblico / Audience Award 2020 Otac (Father); Premi / Awards: Berlinale – Premio del pubblico / Audience Award

Film House Baš Čelik
Gospodar Jevremova 35
11000 Belgrade
Serbia
tel. +381 11 3034441
www.bascelik.net

A.S.A.P. Films
4 rue de Saintonge
75003 Paris
France
asapfilms.wordpress.com

Neue Mediopolis Filmproduktion
Thomasiusstraße 21
04109 Leipzig
Germany
leipzig.office@mediopolis-online.de
www.neue-mediopolis.de

Vertigo
Metelkova 6
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
tel. +386 1 4397080
info@vertigo.si
www.vertigo.si

Propeler Film
Ulica Grada Vukovara 35a
10000 Zagreb
Croatia
info@propelerfilm.com
www.propelerfilm.com

SCCA/ Pro.Ba
Nedžada Mušića 4
71000 Sarajevo
Bosnia and Herzegovina
tel. +387 33 665304
office@pro.ba
www.pro.ba

The Match Factory
Domstrasse 60
50668 Cologne
Germany
tel. +49 221 5397090
info@matchfactory.de
www.the-match-factory.com