Mubi Forum's Favorite Balkan Films
by mymovieslists | created - 05 Sep 2013 | updated - 05 Sep 2013 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Underground (1995)
Not Rated | 167 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Two underground black marketeers, Marko and Blacky, sell weapons to the Communist resistance in wartime Belgrade, living the good life along the way.
Director: Emir Kusturica | Stars: Predrag 'Miki' Manojlovic, Lazar Ristovski, Mirjana Jokovic, Slavko Stimac
Votes: 61,211 | Gross: $0.17M
2. The Travelling Players (1975)
230 min | Drama, History, Music
Greece, 1939-1952: Fascist, Nazi, and Communist conflict, as seen through the eyes of a family of travelling provincial players.
Director: Theodoros Angelopoulos | Stars: Eva Kotamanidou, Vangelis Kazan, Aliki Georgouli, Kiriakos Katrivanos
Votes: 4,347
3. WR: Mysteries of the Organism (1971)
Not Rated | 84 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
An homage to the work of psychologist Wilhelm Reich, matched with a story about a Yugoslavian girl's affair with a Russian skater. Sexual repression, social systems and the orgone theory are explored.
Director: Dusan Makavejev | Stars: Milena Dravic, Ivica Vidovic, Jagoda Kaloper, Tuli Kupferberg
Votes: 5,418
4. Forest of the Hanged (1965)
154 min | Drama, Romance, War
In 1916 as an officer in the Habsburg Army ethnic Romanian Apostol Bologa is torn between remaining loyal to the Habsburgs or deserting to the Romanian Army across enemy lines.
Director: Liviu Ciulei | Stars: Victor Rebengiuc, Liviu Ciulei, Stefan Ciubotarasu, György Kovács
Votes: 1,280
5. A Dance in the Rain (1961)
100 min | Drama
Peter is the dark brooding type. Leading a vacuous, shapeless life, he longs for the ideal woman, while at the same time, half heartedly continuing with his habitual girlfriend, Marusa , ... See full summary »
Director: Bostjan Hladnik | Stars: Dusa Pockaj, Miha Baloh, Rado Nakrst, Ali Raner
Votes: 410
6. Stone Wedding (1973)
90 min | Drama
Two bleak stories about absent love. In the first, a widow is working hard in a desperate attempt to save her dying daughter. The second tells the story of two wandering singers who kidnap a bride from her wedding.
Directors: Dan Pita, Mircea Veroiu | Stars: Leopoldina Balanuta, Eliza Petrachescu, Nina Doniga, Adrian Georgescu
Votes: 585
7. Ulysses' Gaze (1995)
Unrated | 176 min | Drama, War
An exiled filmmaker finally returns to his home country where former mysteries and afflictions of his early life come back to haunt him once more.
Director: Theodoros Angelopoulos | Stars: Harvey Keitel, Maia Morgenstern, Erland Josephson, Thanasis Vengos
Votes: 7,432 | Gross: $0.04M
8. The Ogre of Athens (1956)
103 min | Crime, Drama
A peaceful, frightened little man is mistakenly identified as "the dragon", a notorious criminal at large. He briefly and reluctantly rules the underworld until they realize their mistake.
Director: Nikos Koundouros | Stars: Dinos Iliopoulos, Margarita Papageorgiou, Giannis Argyris, Thanasis Vengos
Votes: 2,188
9. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007)
Not Rated | 113 min | Drama
A woman assists her friend in arranging an illegal abortion in 1980s Romania.
Director: Cristian Mungiu | Stars: Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu, Vlad Ivanov, Alexandru Potocean
Votes: 63,253 | Gross: $1.19M
10. Koziyat rog (1972)
R | 105 min | Drama
The film sends us to the 17th century when Bulgaria was a part of the Ottoman Empire. Four hoodlums break into the house of the shepherd Karaivan, raping and killing his wife in full view ... See full summary »
Director: Metodi Andonov | Stars: Katya Paskaleva, Anton Gorchev, Milen Penev, Todor Kolev
Votes: 2,837
11. Landscape in the Mist (1988)
TV-MA | 127 min | Drama
Two children journey the long road to Germany to find the man they believe to be their father.
Director: Theodoros Angelopoulos | Stars: Michalis Zeke, Tania Palaiologou, Stratos Tzortzoglou, Eva Kotamanidou
Votes: 9,629
12. Love Affair, or The Case of the Missing Switchboard Operator (1967)
TV-MA | 70 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A young female starts a love relationship with a serious young man. However, while he is away on business, she gets lonely and succumbs to her colleague's desires.
Director: Dusan Makavejev | Stars: Eva Ras, Slobodan Aligrudic, Ruzica Sokic, Miodrag Andric
Votes: 1,894
13. Maratonci trce pocasni krug (1982)
92 min | Comedy, Drama
The Topalovic family has been in the burial business for generations. When the old (150 yrs old) Pantelija dies, five generations of his heirs start to fight for the inheritance.
Director: Slobodan Sijan | Stars: Bogdan Diklic, Danilo 'Bata' Stojkovic, Pavle Vuisic, Mija Aleksic
Votes: 16,958
14. Reconstruction (1968)
100 min | Comedy, Drama
A prosecutor, policemen and teacher bring the students Vuica and Nicu to a restaurant to re-enact their drunken brawl there, and have it filmed to show the effects of alcoholism.
Director: Lucian Pintilie | Stars: George Constantin, Emil Botta, George Mihaita, Vladimir Gaitan
Votes: 1,715
15. Rhythm of a Crime (1981)
89 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
After moving to a new neighborhood, a mysterious man starts introducing his landlord to the hobby of collecting crime statistics.
Director: Zoran Tadic | Stars: Ivica Vidovic, Fabijan Sovagovic, Bozidarka Frajt, Dragutin Klobucar
Votes: 617
16. Before the Rain (1994)
Not Rated | 113 min | Drama, Romance, War
Three interconnected stories of love under the threat of civil war in Macedonia and London.
Director: Milcho Manchevski | Stars: Katrin Cartlidge, Rade Serbedzija, Grégoire Colin, Josif Josifovski
Votes: 15,845 | Gross: $0.76M
17. The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005)
R | 153 min | Comedy, Drama
Mr. Lãzãrescu, a dying old man, is shuttled from hospital to hospital by a loyal paramedic as doctors refuse to operate and no one can agree on a diagnosis.
Director: Cristi Puiu | Stars: Doru Ana, Monica Barladeanu, Alina Berzunteanu, Dorian Boguta
Votes: 15,910 | Gross: $0.08M
18. H-8... (1958)
105 min | Drama, Thriller
A bus and a truck are destined to collide with each other on a highway. Their passengers go on about their lives without knowing what will happen.
Director: Nikola Tanhofer | Stars: Boris Buzancic, Djurdja Ivezic, Antun Vrdoljak, Vanja Drach
Votes: 1,691
19. It Rains in My Village (1968)
Not Rated | 84 min | Drama, Romance
A bizarre and tragic love story involving swineherd, village fool, teacher and an agricultural pilot. The story unfolds in a remote village in the communist ruled Yugoslavia at the down of Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968.
Director: Aleksandar Petrovic | Stars: Annie Girardot, Ivan Palúch, Mija Aleksic, Eva Ras
Votes: 684
20. Morning Patrol (1987)
108 min | Drama, Sci-Fi
Going alone into an abandoned, living city, a woman tries to cross a forbidden zone swarming with the Morning Patrol and traps. Meeting one of the last city guards, they attempt recall the past and penetrate the zone together.
Director: Nikos Nikolaidis | Stars: Michele Valley, Takis Spyridakis, Panos Thanassoulis, Takis Loukatos
Votes: 1,070
21. The Peach Thief (1964)
84 min | Drama, Romance, War
A wife of a Bulgarian Army officer falls in love with a Serbian prisoner at the end of World War I.
Director: Vulo Radev | Stars: Nevena Kokanova, Rade Markovic, Mikhail Mikhaylov, Vasil Vachev
Votes: 962
22. Reflections (1987)
102 min | Drama, Horror, Romance
Piano teacher is deeply traumatised by the events of his childhood, as well as by political oppression in his youth. Decades later, all those traumas lead to carnage.
Director: Goran Markovic | Stars: Mustafa Nadarevic, Anica Dobra, Milorad Mandic-Manda, Bogdan Diklic
Votes: 1,313
23. Time of the Gypsies (1988)
R | 142 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
In this luminous tale set in the area around Sarajevo and in Italy, Perhan, an engaging young Romany (gypsy) with telekinetic powers, is seduced by the quick-cash world of petty crime, which threatens to destroy him and those he loves.
Director: Emir Kusturica | Stars: Davor Dujmovic, Bora Todorovic, Ljubica Adzovic, Husnija Hasimovic
Votes: 32,668 | Gross: $0.28M
24. Who's Singin' Over There? (1980)
86 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
It's April 5, 1941, somewhere in Serbia. A group of people go on a bus to Belgrade, on a journey that will change their lives forever.
Director: Slobodan Sijan | Stars: Pavle Vuisic, Dragan Nikolic, Danilo 'Bata' Stojkovic, Aleksandar Bercek
Votes: 16,604
25. Eternity and a Day (1998)
Unrated | 137 min | Drama
Famous writer Alexander is very ill and has little time left to live. He meets a little boy on the street, who is an illegal immigrant from Albania, and goes on a journey with him to take the boy home.
Director: Theodoros Angelopoulos | Stars: Bruno Ganz, Isabelle Renauld, Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Ahilleas Skevis
Votes: 14,394 | Gross: $0.11M
26. ....mehri to ploio (1966)
89 min | Drama
As a grizzled, poverty-stricken mountaineer heads to the bustling port of Piraeus to embark for Australia, three intertwined stories of vehement passion become the painful reminders that, when love ends, life is ugly and unbearable.
Director: Alexis Damianos | Stars: Hristos Tsagas, Alexis Damianos, Eleni Bourbouhaki, Venia Palliri
Votes: 214
27. National Class Category Up to 785 Ccm (1979)
105 min | Comedy, Drama, Sport
One week in a life of Branimir Mitrovic "Floyd", a young rally driver from the National Class (up to 785cc), dreaming of promotion to the higher category. He lives a carefree life of a ... See full summary »
Director: Goran Markovic | Stars: Dragan Nikolic, Bogdan Diklic, Gorica Popovic, Rade Markovic
Votes: 4,132
28. A Bomb Was Stolen (1962)
74 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
A dialogue free Romanian science-fiction spy-comedy that draws upon farce, satire and surrealism as it subversively deconstructs the spy thriller with the protagonist's accidental discovery... See full summary »
Director: Ion Popescu-Gopo | Stars: Iurie Darie, Liliana Tomescu, Haralambie Boros, Eugenia Balaure
Votes: 313
29. Lust for Gold (1974)
88 min | Drama
In a gold settlement in the Apuseni Mountains, the characters of the two parts of the film - "Marza" and "Lada" - fall victim to the gold fever, which condemns them to losing their minds or even their lives.
Directors: Dan Pita, Mircea Veroiu | Stars: Eliza Petrachescu, Liviu Rozorea, Dora Ivanciuc, Alexandru Mihai
Votes: 163
30. Beyond the Hills (2012)
Not Rated | 152 min | Drama
The friendship between two young women who grew up in the same orphanage; one has found refuge at a convent in Romania and refuses to leave with her friend, who now lives in Germany.
Director: Cristian Mungiu | Stars: Cosmina Stratan, Cristina Flutur, Valeriu Andriuta, Dana Tapalaga
Votes: 13,187 | Gross: $0.11M
31. Early Works (1969)
87 min | Comedy, Drama
A group of young persons are going to make a revolution, but in real life everything is not the same as in smart books.
Director: Zelimir Zilnik | Stars: Milja Vujanovic, Bogdan Tirnanic, Cedomir Radovic, Marko Nikolic
Votes: 483
32. Oi tembelides tis eforis koiladas (1978)
118 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A father moves with his three sons and their beautiful, hard working servant in a big, old house in the countryside, where a weird drowsiness seems to occupy the four men. Will it be possible for one of them to break free?
Director: Nikos Panayotopoulos | Stars: Olga Karlatos, George Dialegmenos, Dimitris Poulikakos, Nikitas Tsakiroglou
Votes: 866
33. It Happened on This Very Day (1987)
99 min | Drama
Belgrade in 1963. In a yard surrounded by buildings, a group of young people of different backgrounds and social status, but of similar views about love and self-affirmation, spend their ... See full summary »
Director: Miroslav Lekic | Stars: Olja Beckovic, Vesna Trivalic, Marica Vuletic, Nebojsa Bakocevic
Votes: 381
34. Martin u oblacima (1961)
110 min | Comedy
Martin and his girlfriend Zorica are two students who live as subtenants in separate flats. Since that situation has devastating effect on their love life, they yearn after the place of ... See full summary »
Director: Branko Bauer | Stars: Boris Dvornik, Ljubica Jovic, Joza Seb, Antun Nalis
Votes: 136
35. Ward Six (1978)
97 min | Drama
A doctor from provincial town in Tsardom of Russia meets his former student in Ward 6, where the story takes place. Impressed by his rebellious spirit and clever remarks, he tends to spend ... See full summary »
Director: Lucian Pintilie | Stars: Slobodan 'Cica' Perovic, Zoran Radmilovic, Slavko Simic, Pavle Vuisic
Votes: 223
36. Petrijin venac (1980)
99 min | Drama, Romance, War
This film takes place in a small mining town in Serbia within a time span covering the prewar, war, and postwar periods. "Petria's wreath" is a story about the tragic life of an illiterate ... See full summary »
Director: Srdjan Karanovic | Stars: Mirjana Karanovic, Dragan Maksimovic, Pavle Vuisic, Marko Nikolic
Votes: 866
37. Three (1965)
80 min | Drama, War
Three stories are set at the beginning, middle and the end of WW2. In all three of them the hero of the movie must witness the death of people he likes.
Director: Aleksandar Petrovic | Stars: Velimir 'Bata' Zivojinovic, Ali Raner, Slobodan 'Cica' Perovic, Branislav 'Ciga' Jerinic
Votes: 979
38. Variola Vera (1982)
110 min | Drama, History, Horror
This is a true story of the famous Variola epidemic outbreak in Belgrade.
Director: Goran Markovic | Stars: Rade Serbedzija, Erland Josephson, Dusica Zegarac, Varja Djukic
Votes: 3,038
39. When Father Was Away on Business (1985)
R | 136 min | Drama
A family is deeply affected by the father's extramarital affairs and the turbulent consequences of the Tito-Stalin split.
Director: Emir Kusturica | Stars: Moreno De Bartoli, Predrag 'Miki' Manojlovic, Mirjana Karanovic, Mustafa Nadarevic
Votes: 10,084 | Gross: $0.02M
40. Young Aphrodites (1963)
88 min | Drama, History, Romance
200 BC. During a merciless drought, the brute nature of man and the delicate essence of woman become inextricably intertwined, as the omnipotence of the carnal instinct demands the total surrender of the flesh.
Director: Nikos Koundouros | Stars: Eleni Prokopiou, Takis Emmanuel, Kleopatra Rota, Vangelis Ioannidis
Votes: 841
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