Popular reviews

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  Review by V. Lepistö ★★★★★

  Mimica's brilliant use of ellipses makes this fragmented portrait of fascism a fascinating thing to see. In his later work, he seemed to always return to WWII and mechanisms of oppression, but compared to a film like The Macedonian Part of Hell, Kaya is more true to a non-narrative experimental nature.

  The film starts with the images of an empty city, then fills its halls with life and culture. Soon comes fascism and its irrational nature which is seen at least through humiliation, destruction of culture, and assassination. Simple visions of everyday life and the abuse of power contain memories of pain, even if occasional beauty (like the local song against images of the city) contains seeds of resilience. As…

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  Review by Optical Noise

  This film elapses as Croatian song fragments, children in the street or men at ease, local saints, and local stone symbols, which then are silenced, interrupted, and crumbled at Italian occupation and fascist takeover, largely enacted as collaborative action by the young village men who had been so harmoniously free before. The occurrences are all very textural instead of narrative; there's almost not even real dialog in the film. In their black uniforms, those newly armed get completely out of control, in a scene of ravenous art pillage and book burning. It's pretty terrifying how they amplify each other, turning against their former friends, and as one would anticipate from the title, eventually murdering the holdouts who would not collaborate.…

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  Review by chromium_angel ★★★★

  This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

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  Review by RiekjeParuschke

  This was such a great movie, I really recommend it!

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  Review by jooeeri

  Beautiful imagery from this restoration shown at IFFR, especially the first half – such a poetry in this small town, unfortunately the peace is overtaken by idiotic blackshirts. Just as with a  Paradjanov film I miss a lot of local traditions and rituals that have a deeper meaning, it’s still beautiful and even adds to the mysterious mood of this tranquil village being corrupted by fascism. 

  Fun facts shared during IFFR screening by representative of Croatian Cinematheque:
  - During the premiere of this film at Yugoslavian film festival the director was apparently loudly booed and even rocks were thrown. Only much later this film got appraisal, back then people might have preferred “partisan westerns” instead of this experimental story.
  -…

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  Review by LanaMesic ★★★★

  A film that prooves if fascist won’t get you, experimental storytelling will! I loved it but the subtleties of language and culture might get lost on uninformed viewers.

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  Review by Walter ★★★★★

  A loosely narrative exploration of a non-industrial, utopian coastal town and its eventual fascist oppressors. Structured into filmic stanzas and beautifully shot, it transcends language. Like a book of poems that pierces the most essential human behaviors. 

  One of the most vivid contrasts: Deer’s blood running up the wall, defying gravity as a man passes out, his body folding onto the cobblestone.

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  Review by lekaapoteka

  Pula Film Festival lightning round #13:

  Last film of the festival for me! You cannot convince me that Claire Denis hasn't seen this and was insipred for her masterpiece Beau Travail. One of those movies that is watched like poetry. The plot and messages are implied through very impressionable vignettes of the island life in the 40s Croatia and arrival of fascism. Funny and tragic. Breezy and heavy. One of our most important films!

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  Review by Fernando Figueroa ★★★★

  This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.