Like any other, Yugoslav cinema also has a vast number of films that don’t deserve attention. However, it also produced many significant films and several true masterpieces. These masterpieces are mostly from the Yugoslav Black Wave, but also from other periods.
Here, I’ll list the 55 best Yugoslav movies, from ‘worst’ to best, according to my tastes. Before we begin, please note that by ‘Yugoslav,’ I mean movies from socialist Yugoslavia, not films made before or after its existence.
Let’s start.
- 55. Idealist – Igor Pretnar
- 54. Memento – Dimitrie Osmanli
- 53. Hi-Fi – Vladimir Blazevski
- 52. Frosina – Vojislav Nanovic
- 51. Walter Defends Sarajevo – Hajrudin Krvavac
- 50. Miss Stone – Zivorad ‘Zika’ Mitrovic
- 49. Macedonian Blood Wedding – Trajče Popov
- 48. Vesna – Frantisek Cáp
- 47. Battle of Sutjeska – Stipe Delic
- 46. Battle of Neretva – Veljko Bulajic
- 45. Caught in the Throat – Srdjan Karanovic
- 44. The Felons – Franci Slak
- 43. Moments of Decision – Frantisek Cáp
- 42. The Widowhood of Karolina Zasler – Matjaz Klopcic
- 41. The Beauty of Vice – Zivko Nikolic
- 40. Handcuffs – Krsto Papic
- 39. Cyclops – Antun Vrdoljak
- 38. Dalmatian Chronicle – Lordan Zafranovic
- 37. Three for Happiness – Rajko Grlic
- 36. My Uncle’s Legacy – Krsto Papic
- 35. The Fourteenth Day – Zdravko Velimirovic
- 34. The Fall of Italy – Lordan Zafranovic
- 33. Snowstorm – Antun Vrdoljak
- 32. Beach Guard in Winter – Goran Paskaljevic
- 31. The Ninth Circle – France Stiglic
- 30. The Dervish and Death – Zdravko Velimirovic
- 29. Happy New Year – Stole Popov
- 28. Balkan Spy – Dušan Kovačević & Božidar Nikolić
- 27. Variola Vera – Goran Markovic
- 26. Black Seed – Kiril Cenevski
- 25. Special Treatment – Goran Paskaljevic
- 24. Fragrance of Wild Flowers – Srdjan Karanovic
- 23. Bravo Maestro – Rajko Grlic
- 22. The Elusive Summer of ’68 – Goran Paskaljevic
- 21. Time of the Gypsies – Emir Kusturica
- 20. Pretty Women Walking Through the City – Zelimir Zilnik
- 19. Life Is a Miracle – Emir Kusturica
- 18. Do You Remember Dolly Bell? – Emir Kusturica
- 17. When Father Was Away on Business – Emir Kusturica
- 16. When I’m Dead and Gone – Zivojin Pavlovic
15. Occupation in 26 Pictures
Director: Lordan Zafranovic
Writers: Lordan Zafranovic, Filip David, Stipe Gurdulic, Ranko Munitic, Mato Jaksic, Mirko Kovac
Leading Cast: Frano Lasic, Milan Strljic, Tanja Poberznik, Boris Kralj
Most Significant Recognition: Cannes Film Festival, Pula Film Festival, Screenfest
14. The Rats Woke Up
Director: Zivojin Pavlovic
Writers: Gordan Mihic, Momcilo Milankov, Dragoljub Ivkov, Ljubisa Kozomara
Leading Cast: Slobodan Perovic, Severin Bijelic, Dusica Zegarac
Most Significant Recognition: Berlin International Film Festival, Pula Film Festival, Filmski Susreti
13. The Marathon Family
Director: Slobodan Šijan
Screenwriter: Dusan Kovacevic
Leading Cast: Danilo Stojkovic, Pavle Vujisic, Bogdan Diklic, Zoran Radmilovic, Milivoje Tomic, Mija Aleksic, Radislav Lazarevic, Seka Sablic
Most Significant Recognition: Montréal World Film Festival, Pula Film Festival
12. It Rains in My Village
Director: Aleksandar Petrovic
Screenwriter: Aleksandar Petrovic
Leading Cast: Annie Girardot, Eva Ras, Mija Aleksic, Ivan Palúch, Dragomir Bojanic
Most Significant Recognition: Cannes Film Festival, Pula Film Festival
11. Early Works
Director: Zelimir Zilnik
Screenwriters: Zelimir Zilnik, Branko Vucicevic
Leading Cast: Milja Vujanovic, Cedomir Radovic, Bogdan Tirnanic, Mirko Nikolic
Most Significant Recognition: Berlin International Film Festival, Pula Film Festival
10. The Ambush
Director: Zivojin Pavlovic
Screenwriters: Zivojin Pavlovic, Antonije Isakovic
Leading Cast: Milena Dravic, Ivica Vidovic, Severin Bijelic, Pavle Vujisic, Slobodan Aligrudic
Most Significant Recognition: Venice Film Festival, Pula Film Festival
9. Red Wheat
Director: Zivojin Pavlovic
Screenwriters: Zivojin Pavlovic, Ivan Potrc
Leading Cast: Rade Serbedzija, Majda Grbac, Majda Potokar, Joze Zupan, Irena Glonar, Arnold Tovornik
Most Significant Recognition: Berlin International Film Festival, Pula Film Festival
8. Man Is Not a Bird
Director: Dusan Makavejev
Screenwriters: Dusan Makavejev, Rasa Popov
Leading Cast: Milena Dravic, Janez Vrhovec
Most Significant Recognition: Chicago International Film Festival, Mar del Plata International Film Festival, Pula Film Festival
7. Who’s Singin’ Over There?
Director: Slobodan Šijan
Screenwriter: Dusan Kovacevic
Leading Cast: Dragan Nikolic, Danilo Stojkovic, Pavle Vujisic, Aleksandar Bercek, Neda Arneric, Tasko Nacic, Milivoje Tomic
Most Significant Recognition: Cannes Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Montréal World Film Festival, Pula Film Festival
6. Innocence Unprotected
Director: Dusan Makavejev
Screenwriters: Dusan Makavejev, Branko Vucicevic
Leading Cast: Dragoljub Aleksic
Most Significant Recognition: Berlin International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Pula Film Festival
5. I Even Met Happy Gypsies
I Even Met Happy Gypsies is a poignant and lyrical portrayal of Romani life, blending realism with folklore to explore love, marginalization, and freedom.
Director: Aleksandar Petrovic
Screenwriter: Aleksandar Petrovic
Leading Cast: Bekim Fehmiu, Olivera Katarina, Bata Zivojinovic
Most Significant Recognition: Academy Awards, Cannes Film Festival, Golden Globes, Pula Film Festival of Yugoslavian Films, Thessaloniki Film Festival
4. Love Affair, or the Case of the Missing Switchboard Operator
Love Affair, or the Case of the Missing Switchboard Operator, is a genre-blending political satire that critiques bureaucracy and sexual repression through a tragicomic lens.
Director: Dusan Makavejev
Screenwriters: Dusan Makavejev & Branko Vucicevic
Leading Cast: Eva Ras, Slobodan Aligrudic
Most Significant Recognition: Cannes Film Festival, New York Film Festival
3. Young and Healthy as a Rose
Young and Healthy as a Rose is one of the ‘most controversial’ Yugoslav films. This film clarifies the postwar disillusionment of youth in socialist Yugoslavia by using crime and rebellion.
Director: Jovan Jovanovic
Screenwriter: Jovan Jovanovic
Leading Cast: Dragan Nikolic
Most Significant Recognition: This Yugoslav movie would have won many awards, but it was banned and finally released 35 years later, in 2006.
2. Three
Yugoslav movies always had international success, but the first major acclaim was in 1965 with Three. It showcases the horror and absurdity of war via three interconnected tales of death, each examining moral choices under extreme pressure.
Director: Aleksandar Petrovic
Writers: Aleksandar Petrovic, Antonije Isakovic
Leading Cast: Bata Zivojinovic, Slobodan Cica Perovic, Ali Raner
Most Significant Recognition: Academy Awards, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Pula Film Festival of Yugoslavian Films
1. WR: Mysteries of the Organism
WR: Mysteries of the Organism is a provocative fusion of documentary and fiction that celebrates sexual liberation while critiquing authoritarianism in both East and West. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the most significant Yugoslav film and one of the most authentic movies ever.
Director: Dusan Makavejev
Screenwriter: Dusan Makavejev
Leading Cast: Milena Dravic, Ivica Vidovic, Zoran Radmilovic
Most Significant Recognition: Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival
We’ve come to the end of this list of Yugoslav films that are most significant in this country’s history. Also, if you want to continue reading, here’s a list of my best-loved movies!
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