Veljko Bulajić

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Veljko Bulajić
Veliki transport
SpouseVlasta Bulajić
Awards

Veljko Bulajić (22 March 1928 – 2 April 2024) was a Montenegrin film director and

MUBI streaming service describes Bulajić as "a creator of made-to-order epic blockbusters".[4]

Early life

Bulajić was born in the village of Vilusi near

Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. He was a resistance fighter in World War II having joined the Yugoslav Partisans group at the age of 15.[5] Bulajić and his two older brothers were all wounded in battle and at one point his entire family was imprisoned in an Italian fascist concentration camp.[6] In a 2015 interview for a Chinese news website, Bulajić shared a story of how his "older brother was at the railway station in Montenegro when the allies of Italy-fascism switched trains to the Neretva River. My brother called them traitors and one of them shot him, severely wounding him and he died later".[7]

The two surviving brothers, Veljko and Stevan, would later co-write the movies Kozara and Battle of Neretva.[8][9]

After World War II, Bulajić was stationed at the Yugoslav People's Army base in Zagreb. This is where Bulajić found his passion for film which led him to pursue studies at the Italian Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia under the tutelage of Cesare Zavattini.[10] He then worked as an assistant to Italian film legends Federico Fellini and Vittorio De Sica before returning to Yugoslavia.[3]

Career

Bulajić first produced two short films, before making his debut feature film Train Without a Timetable. The film was a complex drama dealing with the interactions among people who were forcefully leaving their ancestral homes to move to new, yet undeveloped farmland. His debut was a major success earning him entry into the Cannes Film Festival and consideration for one of the world's most prestigious film prizes, the Palme d'Or.[1][11] The film also earned him four awards at the Yugoslav National Film Awards (now known as the Pula Film Festival) and an award from the city of Zagreb.[3] His next two films, Atomic War Bride and Boom Town were also awarded several Gold and Silver awards in various categories at the Yugoslav National Film Awards.[3] Atomic War Bride was also nominated for a Golden Lion at the 1960 Venice Film Festival, making it Bulajic's second nomination for one of the "Big Three" international film festival prizes (Venice Golden Lion, Cannes Palme d'Or and Berlin Golden Bear).[12][13]

In 1962 his film Kozara brought him international attention as he again won a Big Golden Arena for Best Film at the Yugoslav National Film Awards and the film premiered in the world's largest museum, the French Louvre.[14] It was entered into the 3rd Moscow International Film Festival where it won the Golden Prize.[15] Bulajić was a member of the jury at the 4th Moscow International Film Festival.[16] The film was also shown at the San Francisco International Film Festival.[17]

In 1969 he wrote and directed the legendary war film

Beverly Hills gathering that he (Reagan) can't stand Orson Welles but that he agrees that Welles is a very good actor.[5]

On 16 January 2018 the government of the

Republic of Serbia requesting that the original copies of the film be delivered to Slovenia and officially recognized as part of its national cultural heritage.[23] Bulajic responded through the Croatian media that neither the Slovenes nor the Serbs have a right to the film as it was a Croatian production.[24] At the time that the film was released, all three countries were part of Yugoslavia
.

In a 2014 interview, Bulajić attributed Neretva's success to its unconventional plot which only includes 15 minutes of shooting and battles while the rest is dedicated to the story of how the wounded were saved and cared for.[25]

The premiere of Bulajić's film

Maximillian Schell and Florinda Bolkan.[26]

In 2017, Bulajić began filming what is believed to be his last feature-length film. The movie, Escape to the Sea, stars Game of Thrones actor Tom Wlaschiha as a German soldier lost behind enemy lines in World War II.[27]

In November 2020, Bulajić's film Skoplje '63 was included on a list of the Top 10 Croatian documentary films of all time, according to a group of 38 film critics.[28]

Monograph

A 435 page monograph of Bulajić's career was published in 2015. The monograph was compiled by Božo Rudez (father of former NBA player Damjan Rudež) and it was presented to the public by the Croatian Minister of Culture Berislav Šipuš. 35 Croatian and 48 international authors contributed to the monograph, which includes pictures of all of Bulajic's actors and descriptions of Bulajic's artistic skills written by Orson Welles, François Truffaut, Andrzej Wajda, Carlo Ponti, Sergei Bondarchuk, Miroslav Krleža, Alberto Moravia and many others. The monograph also includes reviews of Bulajic's films by The New York Times, Le Monde, The Times, Cinema, La Voz de España and other newspapers.[29]

Humanitarian activities

Bulajić was one of 141 prominent Croatians who participated in the

Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement and who at the time held the title of President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia was also aboard the ship. Mesic would later go on to serve two terms as President of Croatia. Also aboard was Croatian Prime Minister Franjo Gregurić. After an hours-long standoff with the navy, their ship, Slavija, successfully broke the blockade in late November 1991 and delivered the desperately needed supplies to the city's residents as well as refugees from surrounding areas.[30]

At a 2010 remembrance meeting organized by Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, Bulajić stated that the convoy was, at the time, one of the most positive global initiatives.[31]

Politics

Although often regarded as the go-to director of SFRY President Josip Broz Tito, Bulajić has been quoted as having mixed views on Tito's legacy both praising his anti-fascist leadership during World War II and his ability to stand up to Joseph Stalin in the Tito–Stalin split of 1948, but also criticizing him for his collectivist policies and the use of political prisons.[25] Bulajić's older brother Stevan Bulajić, who was also a prominent screenwriter[32] and intellectual, was imprisoned at the Goli Otok detention facility after publishing an opinion-editorial criticizing the ruling communist elite for shopping at the diplomatic stores which carried products that were off-limits to the overwhelming majority of the population.[33]

In the late 1990s Bulajić demanded a government inquiry into the misuse of funds allocated to support a film he was writing and directing on the topic of the siege of Sarajevo. Bulajic initially voiced concerns about missing funds directly to the production company and only went public after he did not receive a response. Bulajic alluded to the fact that the son of NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe and U.S. four-star General Wesley Clark, Wesley Clark Jr., was potentially involved in the misappropriation of the funds. Clarke had been appointed executive co-producer despite having no film credentials. After he went public with his accusations, Bulajic was fired. A local magazine later claimed to be in possession of documents showing suspicious bank transfers to Clarke's account.[34]

In 2018, Bulajić spoke at the official launch of Milo Đukanović's presidential election campaign. At the event, Bulajić was seated next to Montenegrin Prime Minister Duško Marković who also voiced his strong support for Đukanović. Đukanović went on to win the election on 15 April 2018.[35] It was Đukanović's second win as he had already served as President of Montenegro in the late 1990s.[36]

Eighteen years earlier, Bulajić had accompanied then-Croatian President Stjepan Mesić on his historic visit to meet then-President Đukanović (who was at the time serving his first term in office). The meeting of the presidents was seen as a turning point in the bilateral relations between the two neighboring nations. Bulajić was an active supporter of Croatia's quest for independence, and later for Montenegro's quest for independence and NATO membership. In a 2019 interview, he was quoted as saying that Montenegro's entry into NATO was "the most important date in Montenegro's history".[37]

In another 2019 interview, Bulajić stated that anti-fascism is under threat in Europe, and that the nationalist movements across the continent are reminiscent of the 1930s.[38]

Also in 2019, Bulajić was a signatory to a public appeal urging the international community to condemn the Serbian "political, religious and media campaign" aimed at destabilizing peace and stability in neighboring

Member of the Presidency of Yugoslavia for SR Bosnia and Herzegovina Bogić Bogićević, Croatian Ambassador to UNESCO & Bet Israel founder Ivo Goldstein, and others.[39]

Death

Bulajić died on 2 April 2024, at the age of 96.[40][41][42][43][44]

Awards and recognition

Arguably Bulajić's greatest recognition came when the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (

Monte Carlo Television Festival,[18] and the CIDALC award from the International Committee for the Diffusion of Artistic and Literary Works by the Cinematograph.[47] The Swedish Film Institute listed it as one of the 15 best films made between 1920 and 1964.[48]

In 2012, the

Elizabeth Rehn's presidency of the international league.[49]

Bulajić earned best director or best film awards at the

San Sebastian International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of India (formerly known as the New Delhi Film Festival).[48]

In 2008, the Manaki brothers International Film Festival awarded him a Special Award Golden Camera 300 for his contributions to world cinema.[51]

In 2010, the Commission of the 32nd Moscow International Film Festival included Battle of Neretva in its list of the 10 most important films ever made about World War II. This put the film in the company of masterpieces such as The Bridge on the River Kwai by David Lean and Empire of the Sun by Steven Spielberg.[19]

Throughout his career, Bulajić worked with a number of Hollywood stars including Orson Welles, Hardy Krüger, Sergei Bondarchuk, Franco Nero, Christopher Plummer and Yul Brynner.

Bulajić's other notable awards include ten golden arena awards at the Pula Film Festival,[52] the audience award at the Cannes Film Festival, a lifetime achievement award at the MedFilm Festival and Europe's oldest film prize – the Nastro d'Argento awarded by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists.[53]

Bulajić served on the

San Sebastian Film Festival and Delhi International Film Festival.[55][53] In a 2011 article the American political-journalism organization Politico referred to Bulajic as "one of the most successful director's of his day".[56]

In 2016 he was recognized with a SEE Film Legend Award by the International Committee of the South East European Film Festival.[57]

Bulajić was recognized with several state awards and medals. These include the city of

Republic of Croatia for outstanding contributions to the arts and culture.[53]

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "HDFD Naslovna". Hrvatsko društvo filmskih djelatnika.
  2. ^ "Kako sam Titu objasnio da ga ne želim kao glavnog lika "Bitke na Neretvi"". Hrt.hr. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Veljko Bulajić". www.vecernji.hr.
  4. ^ "Veljko Bulajic". MUBI.
  5. ^ a b c "Veljko Bulajić proslavio 92. rođendan, plakat za 'Bitku na Neretvi' izradio mu je Picasso".
  6. ^ a b "Interview: Famous Croatian director Veljko Bulajic recounts his life in pictures - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Interview: Famous Croatian director Veljko Bulajic recounts his life in pictures - China.org.cn". www.china.org.cn.
  8. ^ "Veljko Bulajić". Vecernji.hr. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  9. ^ "Dječija Knjiga- Knjige od pisca". Djecija-knjiga.ba. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
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  19. ^ a b "Pablo Picasso's contribution to the film Battle on the Neretva River". Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  20. ^ "The 42nd Academy Awards (1970) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  21. ^ "Bulajićeva Neretva danas bi koštala 100 milijuna dolara". Bljesak.info.
  22. ^ "Redatelj "Bitke na Neretvi" Veljko Bulajić šokiran slovenskim zahtjevom prema Srbiji: "Ni jedni ni drugi nemaju veze s tim filmom"". Dnevnik.hr.
  23. ^ "Jutarnji list - SUKOB ZBOG 'BITKE NA NERETVI' Slovenci objasnili zašto žele Bulajićev film, u Srbiji tvrde da je Ljubljana izgubila pravo na povrat umjetničke baštine". www.jutarnji.hr. 16 January 2018.
  24. ^ "Bulajić: Neretvu su radili Hrvati, a ne Srbi i Slovenci". www.vecernji.hr.
  25. ^ a b "Veljko Bulajić: Gdje je i što danas radi redatelj "Bitke na Neretvi"". evarazdin.hr. 25 May 2014.
  26. ^ "Atentat u Sarajevu". 31 October 1975 – via IMDb.
  27. ^ "Glumac iz 'Igre prijestolja' pozirao u partizanskoj uniformi". tportal.hr. 8 March 2017.
  28. ^ "H-8 je najbolji hrvatski igrani film svih vremena, odlučili kritičari". www.vecernji.hr (in Croatian).
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  30. ^ Maroević, Mislav. "Dani Domovinskog filma u Zagrebu – radiosamobor.hr". Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
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  32. ^ "Stevan Bulajic". IMDb.
  33. ^ "Proglašavali su me Titovim redateljem, a brat mi je robijao na Golom otoku". www.vecernji.hr.
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  35. ^ "Đukanović opoziciji: Imate najduži gubitnički staž u Evropi (VIDEO) | FOS Media".
  36. ^ "Milo Dukanovic". www.thesedonaforum.org.
  37. ^ "Reditelj Veljko Bulajić: "Ponosan na Crnu Goru"". YouTube. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021.
  38. ^ "Bulajić: Susret Mesić-Đukanović prelomni trenutak u odnosima dvije zemlje". 13 July 2019.
  39. ^ Beta, Piše (31 December 2019). "Apel osude ugrožavanja mira u Crnoj Gori i regionu potpisalo 120 javnih ličnosti". Dnevni list Danas.
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  41. ^ Evropa, Radio Slobodna (3 April 2024). "Umro Veljko Bulajić, režiser čuvenog filma Bitka na Neretvi". Radio Slobodna Evropa (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  42. ^ "Preminuo slavni reditelj Veljko Bulajić". Al Jazeera Balkans (in Bosnian). Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  43. ^ list, Večernji (3 April 2024). "Umro slavni jugoslovenski reditelj Veljko Bulajić". N1 (in Serbian). Retrieved 3 April 2024.
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  45. ^ "Venice Film Festival (1964)". IMDb.
  46. ^ "Skoplje 63" – via mojtv.hr.
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  49. ^ "Slobodna Dalmacija - ZLATNA POVELJA Veljko Bulajić - redatelj humanist". slobodnadalmacija.hr. 6 March 2012.
  50. ^ "FESTIVAL ARCHIVES - Sitges Film Festival - Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya". sitgesfilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  51. ^ "Highlights on Manaki Brothers" in Bitola". www.filmfestivals.com.
  52. ^ "VELJKO BULAJIĆ - VLAKOM BEZ VOZNOG REDA U POVIJEST FILMA Zaokruženi prikaz stvaralačkog opusa i burnog života jednog od najvitalnijih filmaša -Jutarnji List". Jutarnji.hr. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  53. ^ a b c d "27. International Cinematographers Film Festival "Manaki Brothers"". Aeterna.mk. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  54. ^ "BULAJIC Veljko". Festival-cannes.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  55. ^ "VELJKO BULAJIĆ – VLAKOM BEZ VOZNOG REDA U POVIJEST FILMA Zaokruženi prikaz stvaralačkog opusa i burnog života jednog od najvitalnijih filmaša". Jutarnji.hr. 2 November 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  56. ^ "Anthems for dead nations: 'Cinema Komunisto' and 'The Miners' Hymns'". Politico.com. 25 April 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  57. ^ "Veljko Bulajic – SEE Film Legend 2016". See-ff.net. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  58. ^ "Награда АВНОЈ-а". 28 April 2015 – via Wikipedia.

External links

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