Pretty Village, Pretty Flame

AroView: Seen in flashback from a ward in triage, the Bosnian war is portrayed in a riveting counter-play of nihilism and strident theatre, as a band of Serbian soldiers loot villages but find them selves ironically holed up in the “Tunnel of Brotherhood and Unity” and under siege from the Bosnian Muslim enemy, led by a childhood friend.

An exciting, ambitious, intelligent and ultimately devastating film that was in some quarters (mis-)interpreted as Serbian propaganda, but is in fact a searing indictment of war that trumps the efforts of Serb compatriot Emir Kusturica et al in ‘explaining’ the acrimony.

“Srdjan Dragojevic unleashes a powerful assault on the insanity of the war that pitted Serb against Muslim in Bosnia.” ~New York Times

“A powerful condemnation of war that shares several qualities with the German films Das Boot and Stalingrad.” ~James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Serbian title: Lepa Sela Lepo Gore