Film

Religion, religious communities and ethnic communities in the early documentary film are at the focus of this Project. Studying their depictions is important because the films shed new light on the changing role of religion and religious communities in society. Many films depict historical events, including diverse religious celebrations, community gatherings, with local traditions kept by religious communities in different parts of the Yugoslav space. Early film enthusiasts largely engaged with ‘life as it is’ recording peoples and their life in the towns and villages, but they also recorded more official events such as military celebrations and public ceremonies as well as feasts of different peoples inhabiting the Yugoslav space, including religious feasts, fairs, and funerals. The films provide us with rare historical material because, on the one hand, some of these people and events are preserved only on film, and, on the other, these events mark what is significant both for religious communities and local filmmakers. While studying the content of the films gives us a ‘picture’ of the life of a religious community by its appearance and practices, the investigation of how this content is framed informs us how the filmmakers related to this community.

Images from the Private collection of Mr. Mustafa Sudzuka (with the courtesy of Mr. Mustafa Sudzuka)

1896-1914 (selected films)

1. Krunisanje Kralja Petra I Karađorđevića / The Coronation of King Peter I of Serbia (Frank Mottershaw, Arnold Muir Wilson, 1904)

2. Proslava na Gurgovden / Saint George’s Day Celebration (Janaki and Milton Manaki, 1905) 

3. Odhod od maše v Ljutomeru / Dismissal from Mass in Ljutomer (Karol Grossmann, 1905)

4. Osijek Zur Ziet der Ost-Ung. Monarchie 

5. Kaiser Josef in Sarajevo

6. Proglašenje Crne Gore za kraljevinu / Proclamation of Montenegro for the Kingdom (1910)

7. Jedna seoska srpska svadba / A Serbian Country Wedding (Svetozar Botorić, 1911) 

8. Procesija Svetog Duje / The Procession of Saint Domnius (Josip Karaman, 1911) 

9. Osvećenje vodice kod pravoslavnih Srba u Subotici 1912 / The Blessing of Waters of  the Orthodox Serbs in Subotica in 1912 (Aleksandar Lifka, 1912) 

10. Proslava 1600-godišnjice Milanskog edikta u Nišu 1913. Godine / Celebration of the 1600th Anniversary of the Milan Edict in Niš in 1913 (1913)

11. Pogreb potporučnika Živojina Marinkovića / Funeral of Lieutenant Živojin Marinković (Đorđe Bogdanović, 1913)

12. Nj.V. Prestolonaslednik Aleksandar, Komandant I Armije, na Crnom Vrhu na Borbenom Polozaju (Đorđe Bogdanović, 1913) 

13. Zakletva regruta Vardarskog puka / Oath of the Vardar Regiment Soldiers (Đorđe Bogdanović, Braća Cvetković, Slavko Jovanović, 1913)

1914-1918 (selected films)

14. Beograd po zimi / Belgrade in Winter (Svetozar Botorić, 1914)

15. Krf ili Plava grobnica / Corfu or Tomb in the Blue Sea (1915-1918)

16. Požar Soluna / Fire in Thessaloniki (Dragiša Stojadinović, Mika Mihajlović Afrika, 1917)

17. Golgota Srbije / The Golgotha of Serbia (Stanislav Krakov, 1918/32/40)

1918-1939 (selected films)

18.  Beograd/Belgrade (D.V. Ivanov, V. Matušević, 1919)

19. Sahrana Nikole Pašića/The Funeral of Nikola Pašić (Kosta Novaković, 1926)

20. Zagreb i njegove znamenitosti / Zagreb and Its Sights (1927) 

21. Proslava 10. godišnjice Topličkog ustanka / Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Toplica Uprising (1927) 

22. Zrinsko Frankopanski dan na Ozalj gradu / Zrinski-Frankopan Day in Ozalj (Viktor Rybak, 1930)

23. Belgrade Synagogue (Home Video, 1930, Private Collection courtesy of Mustafa Sudzuka)

24. Zagreb (Maksimilijan Paspa, 1931) 

25. Procesija somborske Rimokatoličke župe o Tjelovu 1932 / Communion Procession of the Sombor Roman Catholic Parish in Tjelovo in 1932 (Ernest Bošnjak, 1932)

26. Velebit (Kamilo Brossler, 1932)

27. Proslava ratnika Južne Srbije u Skoplju / Celebration of the Soldiers of South Serbia in Skopje (1934) 

28. Pod jugoslovenskim nebom / Under the Yugoslav Sky (Miodrag Đorđević, 1934)

29. Seljačka sloga (1937)

30.  Od Zagreba do Raba / From Zagreb to Rab (Oktavijan Miletić, 1937)

31. Proslava 550. godišnjice Kosovske bitke / Celebration of the 550th Anniversary of the Kosovo Battle (Kosta Novaković, 1939)