Slavica (1947)

Alright, this is the real kick-off.  The first feature film made in Yugoslavia after the Second World War was “Slavica,” and hence it is the first film that I want to introduce on this blog.  Before I go any further, please note that the description below gives away the ending of the film.

"Slavica" was produced by Avala film studies in Belgrade and was directed by Vjekoslav Afrić (1906-1980).  It is a black-and-white film and lasts 95 minutes.  Quite fittingly, the first film produced in socialist Yugoslavia was a feature film about the Yugoslav Communist Partisans, a genre that would come to include dozens of films.  Like many Yugoslav directors and actors in feature films produced after the Second World War, Afrić had himself joined the Partisans (though not after appearing on stage in the Croatian National Theatre at a time when it was under fascist control).   

Afrić, who also wrote the screenplay, hailed from Hvar, and so it was no surprise that "Slavica" was set in Dalmatia.  Given the devastated Yugoslav economy after the war, this meant that Afrić had to make do with just one camera, and the actors did not receive salaries.  However, the opening credits tells us that he did receive the support of Yugoslav navy and army units based in Split.  The opening credits are a "who's who" of actors and film production personnel who figured in later Yugoslav films.

The film starts on the eve of the war in Dalmatia.  Following socialist realist doctrine, the film portrays a society divided between the oppressed and noble working people, on the one hand, and a manipulative bourgeoisie supported by the clergy, army and police, on the other hand.  The heroes of the story are Marin (Marijan Lovrić) and the eponymous Slavica (Irena Kolesar - a Partisan veteran).  Here they are:

There is a very simple romantic plot here, with Marin quickly christening his fishing boat "Slavica."

And here are the enemies of the people, plotting against them: 

Afrić is very fond of close-up shots of his actors, who often make wonderfully naive and declarative short speeches about the glorious future that awaits the people under communism.

Soon enough, we hear the sound of the occupying army's boots occupying Yugoslavia in 1941.  The enemies of the people of course rush to collaborate with the occupiers, while Slavica, Marin and their friends start to wonder how to resist the occupation.  A common early theme here is that the older generation is portrayed as being more cautious than the youth, with Slavica's parents trying to dissuade her from any hasty action against the occupiers.  Here we also see inklings of feminism, as Slavica has no problems envisaging a role for herself and other women in the struggle for liberation.

Stipe, the stuttering and buffoonish friend of Slavica and Marin quickly arrives with the wonderful news that the Soviet Union has entered the war against the Germans and the Italians, that the Partisans have started resistance, and that "the Red Army is with us."  (Needless to say, not a word is mentioned about the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact.)

The youthful resisters try to take their ship and flee to Partisan-controlled territory in order to assist in the anti-fascist liberation struggle, but they fail and are captured.  Later they are themselves liberated by the Partisans and flee to the mountains overlooking the Adriatic coast.  Here they receive a bit of political indoctrination and learn the famous Partisan slogan "Smrt fašizmu sloboda narodu! (Death to Fascism and Freedom to the People!).  They go on to participate in combat and liberate the country.  However, the story includes a tragic note, as Slavica is killed on the ship named after her.

"Slavica" is available on DVD from Delta Video.  It can also be streamed online at a number of sites, for example at Veoh.  I have not yet found a version with English subtitles.  The image quality on the DVD is really very good considering the conditions in which the film was originally made.

The film was a huge hit with the public.  Irena Kolesar went on to star in a number of films, but as this article details, she unfortunately died impoverished and neglected in Zagreb in 2002.

PS.  This film is not to be confused with “Slavica Lavica,” a low-budget porn film that tends to pop up when you google terms like “Slavica film.”