Balkan Spy
Encyclopedia
Balkan Spy is a 1984 Yugoslav comedy film
directed by Serbia
n directors Dušan Kovačević
and Božidar Nikolić.
), a former Stalinist who spent several years in a prison on Goli otok
, is contacted by the police to routinely answer questions about his sub-tenant, Petar Markov Jakovljević (Bora Todorović
), a businessman, who spent twenty years living in Paris
, and now has returned to Belgrade
to open a tailor shop. After only several minutes, Ilija is free to go, however, he is starting to suspect that his sub-tenant might be a spy
. As time passes, he becomes convinced that Petar, a modern man from a capitalist country, represents a great threat to national security and the socialist system, and starts spying on Petar, to a great surprise of his wife Danica (Mira Banjac
), who is more concerned for the future of their daughter Sonja (Sonja Savić
), who, although holding a degree in dentistry
, is unable to find a job. Ilija phones inspector Dražić (Milan Štrljić), claiming that Petar was meeting "suspicious people" (which are actually his intellectual
friends, but Dražić does not take him seriously. Ilija decides to take matters into his own hands. He begins his own surveillance operation against the innocent man and his friends. Eventually, he bars his house, buys a guard dog, arms himself with munition, and even gets help from his brother Đura (Zvonko Lepetić), both of them becoming convinced that Petar is a foreign agent.
One evening, Ilija is accidentally hit by a car, which he sees as an attempt of assassination
. Soon, even Danica starts to believe Ilija, but Sonja believes that her father is suffering from paranoia
. Đuro manages to capture several of Petar's friends, holding them in his basement, beating them up and making them "reveal their terrorist plans". Petar comes to Ilija's house, where he finds Danica. Petar says that he wanted to say goodbye, as he is traveling to New York
, and asks Danica why are Ilija and his brother following him, thus revealing that he was aware of their "surveillance operation". Ilija and Đura crash into the house, sending Danica away, tying Petar to a chair, beating him and forcing him to "confess". Petar keeps claiming that he is not a spy, but the brothers do not believe him. Đura leaves the house for a while, to bring one of Petar's friends who "admited it all", and Ilija continues to interrogate Petar. However, Ilija gets to excited and has a heart attack. Petar manages to get to the phone and call the ambulance
, and then, with a chair to which he is tied, he leaves the house to try to catch his plane. lija, while in severe pain, phones Đura's house and tells his wife to tell him to "stop all the flights from the airport". He then crawls out of the house, and starts crawling after Petar, with his dog following him.
, the Golden Arena Award and the Best Actor Award, which went to Danilo "Bata" Stojković for his portrayal of Ilija Čvorović
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by 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...
n directors Dušan Kovačević
Dušan Kovacevic
Dušan Kovačević is a Serbian playwright and director best known for his theater plays and movie scripts. He also served as the ambassador of Serbia in Lisbon, Portugal....
and Božidar Nikolić.
Plot summary
Ilija Čvorović (Bata StojkovićDanilo Bata Stojkovic
Danilo Stojković , commonly nicknamed Bata , was a Serbian theatre, television and film actor...
), a former Stalinist who spent several years in a prison on Goli otok
Goli otok
Goli otok is an island off the northern Adriatic coast, located between Rab's northeastern shore and the mainland, in what is today Croatia's Primorje-Gorski Kotar county. The island is barren and uninhabited...
, is contacted by the police to routinely answer questions about his sub-tenant, Petar Markov Jakovljević (Bora Todorović
Bora Todorovic
Borivoje "Bora" Todorović is a Serbian actor...
), a businessman, who spent twenty years living in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and now has returned to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
to open a tailor shop. After only several minutes, Ilija is free to go, however, he is starting to suspect that his sub-tenant might be a spy
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
. As time passes, he becomes convinced that Petar, a modern man from a capitalist country, represents a great threat to national security and the socialist system, and starts spying on Petar, to a great surprise of his wife Danica (Mira Banjac
Mira Banjac
Mirjana "Mira" Banjac is a Serbian actress, specialised for character roles.-External links:...
), who is more concerned for the future of their daughter Sonja (Sonja Savić
Sonja Savic
Sonja Savić was a cult Serbian actress, famous for her husky voice and series of impressive roles in some of the more memorable 1980s films made in former Yugoslavia. Sonja appeared in Miroslav Ilić video Voleo sam devojku iz grada...
), who, although holding a degree in dentistry
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
, is unable to find a job. Ilija phones inspector Dražić (Milan Štrljić), claiming that Petar was meeting "suspicious people" (which are actually his intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
friends, but Dražić does not take him seriously. Ilija decides to take matters into his own hands. He begins his own surveillance operation against the innocent man and his friends. Eventually, he bars his house, buys a guard dog, arms himself with munition, and even gets help from his brother Đura (Zvonko Lepetić), both of them becoming convinced that Petar is a foreign agent.
One evening, Ilija is accidentally hit by a car, which he sees as an attempt of assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
. Soon, even Danica starts to believe Ilija, but Sonja believes that her father is suffering from paranoia
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
. Đuro manages to capture several of Petar's friends, holding them in his basement, beating them up and making them "reveal their terrorist plans". Petar comes to Ilija's house, where he finds Danica. Petar says that he wanted to say goodbye, as he is traveling to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and asks Danica why are Ilija and his brother following him, thus revealing that he was aware of their "surveillance operation". Ilija and Đura crash into the house, sending Danica away, tying Petar to a chair, beating him and forcing him to "confess". Petar keeps claiming that he is not a spy, but the brothers do not believe him. Đura leaves the house for a while, to bring one of Petar's friends who "admited it all", and Ilija continues to interrogate Petar. However, Ilija gets to excited and has a heart attack. Petar manages to get to the phone and call the ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
, and then, with a chair to which he is tied, he leaves the house to try to catch his plane. lija, while in severe pain, phones Đura's house and tells his wife to tell him to "stop all the flights from the airport". He then crawls out of the house, and starts crawling after Petar, with his dog following him.
Cast
- Bata StojkovićDanilo Bata StojkovicDanilo Stojković , commonly nicknamed Bata , was a Serbian theatre, television and film actor...
as Ilija Čvorović - Bora TodorovićBora TodorovicBorivoje "Bora" Todorović is a Serbian actor...
as Petar Markov Jakovljević - Mira BanjacMira BanjacMirjana "Mira" Banjac is a Serbian actress, specialised for character roles.-External links:...
as Danica Čvorović - Zvonko Lepetić as Đura Čvorović
- Branka Petrić as the journalist
- Sonja SavićSonja SavicSonja Savić was a cult Serbian actress, famous for her husky voice and series of impressive roles in some of the more memorable 1980s films made in former Yugoslavia. Sonja appeared in Miroslav Ilić video Voleo sam devojku iz grada...
as Sonja Čvorović - Milivoje Tomić as the doctor
- Predrag Laković as the professor
- Bata ŽivojinovićBata ŽivojinovicVelimir "Bata" Živojinović is a Serbian actor and politician.-Biography:Živojinović was born in the town of Koraćica, Mladenovac, Serbia , under the Kosmaj mountain...
as the pancake seller - Milan Štrljić as inspector Dražić
- Milan Mihailović as the painter
Awards
Balkanski špijun won two awards in 1984 at the Pula Film FestivalPula Film Festival
The Pula Film Festival is the oldest Croatian film festival which is held annually in a Roman amphitheater known as the Pula arena since 1954. The festival is usually held in the summer, in July or August....
, the Golden Arena Award and the Best Actor Award, which went to Danilo "Bata" Stojković for his portrayal of Ilija Čvorović