Film Review: Kozara (1962)
Certain films can be characterised as cinematic monuments, created primarily to celebrate significant achievements or honour sacrifices. The Yugoslav genre of Partisan films exemplifies this phenomenon, with notable contributions from Veljko Bulajić, a director closely associated with the genre. His 1962 film Kozara marks his first foray into the genre, offering an epic reconstruction of one of the pivotal battles from World War II, specifically the Kozara Offensive that occurred two decades prior.
The title Kozara refers to the mountain in Western Bosnia that served as the battleground during the Kozara Offensive, a major counter-insurgency operation launched by German forces in June 1942 against Yugoslav Partisan troops. The Germans aimed to eliminate the threat posed by Partisans to a vital railroad connecting Zagreb and Belgrade. To achieve this, they assembled a formidable force, bolstered by the pro-Axis Independent State of Croatia and opportunistic Serb Chetnik militias. The Axis forces enjoyed significant advantages in numbers, air support, heavy artillery, and tanks—resources that the Partisans lacked. Additionally, the Partisans had diminished mobility, being burdened of protecting thousands of Bosnian Serb civilian refugees seeking shelter in the mountainous terrain. This situation allowed Axis forces to encircle Kozara completely and initiate a brutal mop-up operation, which culminated in heavy casualties on both sides but resulted in near annihilation for the Partisans and the capture of tens of thousands of civilians, many of whom faced execution or deportation to concentration camps.
At first glance, celebrating the Battle of Kozara—a clear defeat and immense tragedy—might seem an unusual choice for a post-World War II Communist government formed by Partisan leaders. However, if the intention was to instil a sense of sacrifice among newer generations, Kozara serves this purpose effectively. The battle's relatively contained nature makes it easier to reconstruct on film compared to other more expansive and famous campaigns from World War II in Yugoslavia.
Bulajić was equipped with substantial resources for Kozara, including hundreds of extras and numerous soldiers from the Yugoslav People's Army, as well as aircraft, armoured vehicles, and other military equipment. This made Kozara the most expensive Yugoslav film produced up to that point. Bulajić's previous works—The Train Without a Timetable and Boomtown—demonstrated his capability in handling epic narratives set in the post-war period, thereby earning him this privilege.
The director's handling of Kozara is commendable; he effectively employs mass tracking shots to portray large crowds and showcases his skill in combat scenes. Although these scenes are brief, they realistically convey the brutality and chaos of warfare, particularly during the harrowing nighttime sequence depicting the Partisans' ill-fated breakout attempt. Bulajić's own experiences as a teenager in the ranks of the Partisans undoubtedly informed his depiction of these events.
Another notable aspect of Kozara is Bulajić's narrative principle—eschewing a traditional individual protagonist in favour of a collective representation of "the people." This approach aligns seamlessly with Communist ideology but results in a plot fragmented into loosely connected vignettes featuring numerous characters. While some characters are well-developed and acted convincingly, others suffer from excessive melodrama that may alienate younger or more cynical audiences. This narrative style, combined with Aleksandar Sekulović's black-and-white cinematography and Vladimir Kraus-Rajterić's melodramatic score, renders Kozara less impactful compared to many early 1960s war films and subsequent Partisan films.
Despite its shortcomings as a cohesive narrative, Kozara functions effectively as a monument to historical memory. Most historians agree that its portrayal of events during the battle is accurate. This authenticity is partly attributed to Skender Kulenović—a Bosnian writer and veteran known for his poetry inspired by the battle—who contributed to the screenplay.
The film boasts a strong cast, with Dragomir Felba delivering a memorable performance as a father who tragically loses his family. Ljubiša Samardžić and Milena Dravić play ill-fated lovers whose storyline is hampered by excessive melodrama. In contrast, Velimir “Bata” Živojinović shines in his role as a Partisan striving to save his child. An interesting inclusion is Branko Lustig—who would later become an Oscar-winning producer—appearing briefly as a German soldier lost in the woods.
Kozara does not shy away from depicting violence; it even includes a rape scene. However, given its early 1960s context, nothing is overly graphic or disturbing. Fortunately, Bulajić refrains from portraying some of the darker aftermaths seen in later films like The Diary of Diana B. (2019) or Dara of Jasenovac (2021). The closest semblance of a happy ending comes from a handful of characters who merely survive while remembering their fallen comrades through an improvised mournful song.
While Kozara is intriguing as both a war film from a technical perspective and as a historical reconstruction, it does not quite reach the same heights as classics within the Partisan film genre.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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