While Eastern European cinema may seem small in scale and visibility when weighed up against the mass appeal of Hollywood, it has a strong, dynamic identity of its own. Famous films to have broken into mainstream cinemas in recent years have included Roman Polanski's The Pianist (2002) and Wolfgang Becker's Goodbye, Lenin! (2003) - films which reminded viewers that Eastern Europe's turbulent history remains firmly planted in its art's consciousness.
More recent releases - like California Dreamin' and Life is a Miracle - have explored the quirky side of Eastern European life following the fall of the Berlin Wall with a tendency towards physical humour mixed in with social satire and black comedy. Other films - like Grbavica and Lost and Found - have taken a more sober approach, dealing some of the most painful aspects of the wars in Bosnia and Kosovo during the early 1990s.
California Dreamin' (Nesfarsit, 2007)
Based on an actual event, California Dreamin' by the Romanian director Cristian Nemescu tells the story of a train delayed in a small Romanian village en route to delivering vital American radar equipment to NATO troops in Kosovo. Set in 1999 during NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia, the film draws focus away from military confict to satirise the corrupt opportunism of the local officials who seek to profit from the situation at hand. As the American and Polish soldiers struggle through the bureaucratic mire which prolongs their delay, they develop intimate and unlikely relationships with the villagers, who go to extra lengths to entertain their guests.
Beauty in Trouble (Kraska V Nesnazich, 2006)
Jan Hrebejk's tragi-comedy follows three generations of a Czech family as they try to adapt to life after the fall of communism. Rooted in contemporary Prague, Beauty in Trouble examines themes of fate, love and redemption through its own 'beauty in trouble', the shrewd Mercela who is torn between her life as the obliging wife of a chop shop owner and the prospects of a luxurious affair with a wealthy emigre.
Life is a Miracle (Zyvot Je Cudo, 2004)
Emir Kusturica's exuberant magic-realist style (set to rousing Serbian trumpet music) has made him a household name in Eastern Europe. Life is a Miracle is just another example of the Serbian director's talent for crafting stories that blend off-beat humour with historical drama. The plot centres on a Serbian engineer, Luca, who dreams of building a local railway which he hopes will bring tourists to the remote Bosnian village where he lives. Luca is forced to finally face reality when war breaks out, his son is drafted into the army and his wife abandons him. When he is required to look after a Muslim woman kept hostage by the Bosnian army, the pair's determination to fulfil their dreams - no matter how improbable - provides some relief from the harsh realities of war.
Grbavica: Land of my Dreams (Grbavica, 2006)
Jasmila Zbanic's first feature-length film shocked Bosnians and offended Serbians with its depiction of Serb rape camps during the Bosnian War, while winning the Golden Bear award for best film at the 2006 Berlin Film Festival. Set in contemporary Sarajevo, it follows the story of a single mother who attempts to conceal the truth of her 12-year old daughter's conception in a city still in recovery from the psychological traumas of the 1990s Yugoslav wars.
The Death of Mr Lazarescu (Moartea Domnului Lazarescu, 2005)
The Death of Mr Lazarescu - directed by Romanian director Cristi Puiu - burst onto the festival scene in 2005 with its darkly comic indictment of the potentially tragic effects of bureaucracy. Puiu adopts the naturalistic style of cinema verite in documenting the journey of an ageing alcoholic, who spends the final hours of his life transported from hospital to hospital while repeatedly refused medical care for reasons beyond his control. Winning international critical acclaim, The Death of Mr Lazarescu went on to win the 'Un Certain Regard' Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Lost and Found: Six Glances at a Generation (2005)
Lost and Found is the product of six young film directors exploration of their generation's experiences of life in post-communist Eastern Europe. This collation of short films spans a range of countries and emotions, while showcasing debuts from successful directors such as Jasmila Zbanic, Kornel Mundruzco and Cristian Mungiu. Featuring films from Estonia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Hungary, Romania and Serbia, and Montenegro.
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