THREE

CLASSIC CINEMA SECTION

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. The theme of the film is death from the perspective of one man, in three forms: as witness of it, as a victim of it, and as an executor. “Three is an anti-war film. It shows the true face of war – its horrors and its absurdity. The real protagonist of this film is death. In this film, it appears in three forms – as punishment, as victim, and as an expression of the senselessness of war. One needs to be against war, but one needs to be against war as a matter of principle, against anybody who wages war, and also against those who create reasons for war.” – Aleksandar Petrović,

Classics O’Clock X, Sunday April 6, 16:00 CET

ENGLISH TITLE:

THREE

DIRECTOR:

Aleksandar Petrovic

COUNTRY:

Serbia

GENRE:

Drama, War

YEAR:

1965

LENGTH:

76’

CAST:

Velimir 'Bata' Zivojinovic, Milos Bojanic, Ali Raner, Slobodan 'Cica' Perovic, Branislav 'Ciga' Jerinic, Senka Veletanlic

A QUOTE FOR THE FILM:

"Here we are the law!"

SELECTIVE LIST OF FESTIVALS AND AWARDS:

1965 Pula Film Festival - Winner Golden Arena Best Director Aleksandar Petrovic, Best Actor Velimir 'Bata' Zivojinovic; 1966 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival - Nominee Crystal Globe Best Film; 1967 Oscar Nominee - Best Foreign Language Film

DIRECTOR’S BIO:

One of the most acclaimed and successful Serbian directors, born in 1929 in Paris. Studied film directing at the prestigious Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) in Prague (1947/48). His studies remained unfinished due to the political aggravation between Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia at the time and he was forced to return to homeland. He graduated Art History in Belgrade (1955). Filmmaker since 1948. Awarded several times for his early works including very successful documentaries 'Let nad mocvarom' (1956), 'Petar Dobrovic' (1958), 'Putevi' (1959) and 'Sabori' (1963). After two films with various success and acclamation ('Dvoje' in 1961 and 'Dani' in 1963) he directs very successful war drama 'Tri' ('Three', 1965) which won raves from critics in Yugoslavia and Europe and a Best Foreign Language Oscar nomination in 1966. Now it is considered one of the best movies in Serbia. His next project 'Skupljaci perja' ('I Even Met Happy Gypsies', 1967), metaphorical social drama about gypsies was even more successful. It also won an Oscar nomination - the very next year after 'Three' - in 1967, Grand Jury Prize and FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes Film Festival and established Petrovic as one of the most talented and skillful European directors in 1960s. Unlike 'Three' it was very well received and translated in over 100 languages. In 1977. he made the German film Group Portrait with a Lady (1977) starring Romy Schneider, which was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival. Members of Yugoslavian Board of the Academy of Film Art and Science (AFUN) voted two of his movies among ten best Serbian films in 1947-1995 period - 'I Even Met Happy Gypsies' (#2) and 'Three' (#4). He was one of the founders of so-called New Yugoslavian Film wave. Was professor at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. Wrote several books on movie and was film theoretic.