Yoguslav the Black Wave Essay Example

Yoguslav black wave can be described as a film period or movement that happened in the 1960s and early 1970s. The term is used to define some films that were created during this period according to researchers the manifestation of this period was never official to the public but can be characterized by notable features of both it's form and content that. The Yugoslav directors of this period were the one responsible for the popularization of the movement, directors such as Dusan Makavejez, Zivojin Pavlovic, Zelimir Zilnik, Sasha Petrovic and many others. (De Cuir 402).

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This period came into being as a comparative reaction to the endless films of Partisan series; these films are well known due to its theme of praising revolutionary struggles that took place during the Second World War. The characters of those films portrayed themselves to be instruments of propaganda due to the influence they caused to the music scenes, more directors were scene emulating darker, grittier, shameful and pessimistic oriented. The wave of this period was largely embraced by directors since their focus was to manipulate the psychopathology of the soul of the viewers. They also promoted revolution by outline the political injustice that was happening of denying individuals their freedom.

During the reign of this period, there was a concern on the interpretation of the films since people were used to more naturalistic styles which combined a mood of what was happening at present and appreciating nature without criticizing the society openly. It is of great importance for people to understand that the purpose of the creation of these films was not to change the values of the society but to make have a different view on the political injustice happening before their eyes. Accompanied by dark humor and intense critique of the society, creative during this period had the urge to birth a new style to the world. A style that completely expresse ones artistic freedom to the maximum thus changing the cinematic language.

Yugoslavia's artistic content as far as film production is concerned sky rocketed to numbers that were on the higher value. The country produced more films than ever before. This hence rippled to cause the dominant effect of the term (Yugoslav Black Wave ). Purposing to show what the new mind of movement could offer, the filmmakers insisted on expressing the darker side of the human psyche and openly criticize the socialist state. Soon enough this style attracted international attention as well as provoking controversies within the country.

The movement reached its optimum between 1967 and 1968; after that, the counter-offense against the new movement grew stronger, larger and intensified (Levi 45). Meaning, black films were attacked majorly for their anti-optimistic views ion the developments made towards the country's socialism and liberalism. This led to the banning of specific films and at some point forcing some of the directors to exile. Most films that were created during this period were released in the early 1960s; this is the period that went into records since it is when they produce the majority of the movies. The reason as is because early 1960 was the experimental period and the was intense creativity whereby each produced wanted to come up with something authentic (De Cuir 420).

The entire crew in the artistic avenue wanted a change in terms of freedom of expression, and all of them were speaking in one language, in most cases, the filming industry was required to showcase the good things that only makes people happy and exaggeration of how happiness is created from the natural surroundings. Filmmakers within the Yugoslav black wave period demanded the freedom to showcase to the world the dark side of humanity that the society mostly avoids; they would showcase scenes that were in contrast to what the political heads do. For instance, with a lot of confidence they would criticize the socialist state that was hidden to the people also they changed the mentality of people which they were brainwashed that there is always a happily ever after to everyone, but now they can have a different perspective of the human darker side.

When the films of this era were produced the received a lot of attention not only locally but international wise. Revolution and liberalization started to hear from afar since even the audience reacted to the propaganda that was happening around them and going further the controversies that were going around during this period were highly provoked and condemned. "Recent developments (in Yugoslav film) evolved into a movement difficult to overlook today. 'New film.' Above all it stands for the subordination of form to the psychological contents of human ethical and metaphysical drama today. 'New film' doesn't intend to sparkle, but to torture. It doesn't want to seduce, but rather to burden our ethical, political and state conformism, by impertinently portraying the fate of its heroes. However, 'New film' doesn't use a slogan or pun, but the revelation of psychological truths, which come as a consequence of ethical crises and the ideological wilderness of the contemporary world." These words were used were altered by Zivojin Pavlovic whereby he was condemning the political injustice and praising the new era of filmmaking for being part of changing the society (Jovanovic 160).

It should be understood that not everything within this Era was optimistic; the filmmakers were also condemned by society for advocating for immorality in the country. After the splitting of Tito from the post-war Soviet Union, the culture of Yugoslav experienced a radical drift, and this change was happening gradually. Before the mid-1960's most films that were created were deliberately oppressing the rights of the Queer community since the scenes of films would indicate that there cannot exist an erotic relationship between individuals of the same sex

The period of change during this period almost coincides with the one for sexual revolution; the revolution of sexuality was highly embraced by student movements that were within the regions of Europe whereby students would demonstrate just to seek freedom to express their sexuality freely. The black wave began its revolution during the release of the films from Polish, Czech and nouveau which were in support of the queer community revolution.Dusan Makavejev was born on 13th October 1932 in Belgrade, Serbia; he was a Serbian director of films and also a screenwriter. He is acknowledged to be one of the most import figures who came from Yugoslav. Although of his extraordinary performance within the filmmaking industry, he encountered official disapproval leading to some of his films to be banned and not to be showcased in his country. During the classic era of the black wave all the big names within the film industry were breaking down, and some artists like Marker, Gordad, and Cassavetes were trying to bring dissolution that existed between fictions and documentaries. On the other hand, Makavejev decided to be independent and considered himself as anarchic spirit (Jovanovic, pg169).

Makavejev was one of the pioneers of the Black Wave filming school; this school came to be after the Yugoslav movement whereby Makavejev developed his directing skills by making films that criticize the politics of the country openly, he also made films that encouraged sexual liberation. In his scripts, Makavejev was very fond of applying the collage methods whereby he would include a series of posts that would bring out a reaction that was both Humorous and dramatic. He would apply the themes of war, death, love, daily life inside a communist state. Makavejev believed that narrative structure is an open prison that people do not want to escape from since it is a tradition and it is a lie that people need to impose to others.

Makavejev first film feature was Man is not a Bird, the film was shot in what one would call a bleak industry town in Slovenia, 1965. The film introduces us to an engineer who was visiting the town and had an affair with a hairdresser who was beautiful, young and carefree. Mekavejev ensured that he had applied vertiginous images that emerged from a hand-held camera, eroticism, irreverent attitude to the ones in authority and also dramatic sections. The film came out as a deep revelation to the audience within Eastern Europe.

As he was growing up, he used to have an innate understanding and often wondered how can a nation be reckless to its subjects and neglecting their needs. Makavejev was raised during the reign of Dictator Josip Broz Tito, and the worst thing is that he had to witness all the brutality that the ruler was doing to his people. This was becoming so disturbing to the writer and decided to remove the chip he was carrying in his shoulders and transferred the pain into art. He came out strongly without caring about the consequences of his action would bring. He was banned from showcasing his movies in Serbia, but he was allowed to keep his passport (Levi 46)

For this reason, he decided to take a teaching post at Harvard University this is whereby he was able to create Montenegro, whereby he used irony in the movie since the name of the film is Montenegro, but the film was shot in Sweden. In this work, he continues to support his themes of sexuality in politics and also the reflecting politics in sexuality. The film talks about a middle-class woman who is bored and married in Sweden can free her libido with some immigrant workers from Serbia.

Conclusion

In the filmmaking industry, the Yugoslav era is considered to be the golden age; this is because it became one of the radical movements within the regions of Europe. The directors of the Black wave movement were not only concerned in changing the political and sexual mentality that the government had imposed on the people, but they also to bring the progress in society. The directors brought progress by revealing the dark side of the authority of impressing those who are not in power, this is a clear indication that filmmaking industry is for the entertainment purposes, but also it can be used as a driving force to bring change.

Filmmakers can apply this strategy by experimenting cinemas and find a way to change the world, there is still an injustice that is happening to the world, but people are blinded by the ones in power. Henceforth, cinematography can be used to showcase these immoral behaviors and we invite the public to find a way to liberate themselves from ideological and also political discipline.

Works cited

De Cuir, Greg. "The Yugoslav Black Wave: The History and Poetics of Polemical Cinema in the 1960s and 1970s in Yugoslavia." A Companion to Eastern European Cinemas(2012): 403-424.

DeCuir Jr, Greg. "Black Wave polemics: rhetoric as aesthetic." Studies in Eastern European Cinema 1.1 (2010).

Jovanovic, Nebojsa. "Breaking the wave: A commentary on 'Black Wave polemics: Rhetoric as aesthetic'by Greg DeCuir, Jr." Studies in Eastern European Cinema 2.2 (2011): 161-171.

Levi, Pavle. Disintegration in frames: aesthetics and ideology in the Yugoslav and post-Yugoslav cinema. Stanford University Press, 2007.