Aleksandar Petrovic
Encyclopedia
Aleksandar "Saša" Petrović (January 14, 1929 – August 20, 1994) was a well known Serbian
film director
who was one of the leading European directors in the 1960s. Two of his films were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
: Three
in 1966
and I Even Met Happy Gypsies
(Feather Gatherers) in 1967
. The latter film won the FIPRESCI Prize and the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival
. In 1967 he was a member of the jury at the 17th Berlin International Film Festival
.
One of his most famous films is It Rains in My Village. Petrović found inspiration for this film in book The Possessed (novel) written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The film was nominated for a Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival
In 1973, Petrović was forced to leave his post at the Belgrade Film Academy after being accused of holding anti-communist views by the communist government of Yugoslavia
. In late December 1989 he joined the founding committee of the Democratic Party
in Serbia
, the first opposition anti-communist party in Serbia.
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
who was one of the leading European directors in the 1960s. Two of his films were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
: Three
Three (1965 film)
Three is a 1965 Yugoslav film directed by Aleksandar Petrović. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 39th Academy Awards.-Cast:* Bata Živojinović as Miloš Bojanić* Nikola-Kole Angelovski* Stole Aranđelović...
in 1966
39th Academy Awards
The 39th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1966, were held on April 10, 1967 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California...
and I Even Met Happy Gypsies
I Even Met Happy Gypsies
I Even Met Happy Gypsies is a 1967 Yugoslav film by Serbian director Aleksandar Petrović. Its original Serbian title is Skupljači perja, which means The Feather Gatherers. The film is centered around Roma people's life in a village in northern Vojvodina, but it also deals with subtler themes such...
(Feather Gatherers) in 1967
40th Academy Awards
The 40th Academy Awards honored film achievements of 1967. Originally scheduled for 8 April 1968, the awards were postponed to two days later, 10 April 1968, because of the assassination of Dr...
. The latter film won the FIPRESCI Prize and the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
. In 1967 he was a member of the jury at the 17th Berlin International Film Festival
17th Berlin International Film Festival
The 17th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 23 to July 4, 1967.-Jury:* Thorold Dickinson * Rüdiger von Hirschberg* Knud Leif Thomsen* Michel Aubriant* Sashadhar Mukerjee* Aleksandar Petrović* Willard Van Dyke...
.
One of his most famous films is It Rains in My Village. Petrović found inspiration for this film in book The Possessed (novel) written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The film was nominated for a Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival
In 1973, Petrović was forced to leave his post at the Belgrade Film Academy after being accused of holding anti-communist views by the communist government of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. In late December 1989 he joined the founding committee of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Serbia)
The Democratic Party is a political party in Serbia. It is described as a social liberal or social democratic party.-Pre-war history:The Democratic Party was established on 16 February 1919 from unification of Sarajevo parties independent radicals, progressives, liberals and the Serbian part of...
in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, the first opposition anti-communist party in Serbia.