Press clipping

Croatian director Rajko Grlic has scored a highly significant hit throughout the former Yugoslavian states with Border Post (Karaula).

Read the full review [PDF] of the movie that was published on the Screendaily.

"The Film School of Prague played a significant role in the ex-Yugoslav cinematography ever since Rajko Grlic's film "The Melody Haunts My Reverie". Grlic himself was its renowned representative, famous for his exceptional sensitivity to the needs of his characters usually placed amidst social and political turmoil. In the same fashion, 'Border Post' deals with common people who are about to become involved in a bloodshed (the story is set in 1987). 'Border Post' neither induces hate nor takes sides. It portrays the collapse of one period in history, represented through different characters that each had their own ideals and followed their own interests."

"Is it possible for all the five parts of former Yugoslavia to get involved, of their own free will, in the same project, invest their money into it and produce a work of true quality?
Film 'Border Post', which had its opening night on 22 March in Belgrade, proves it is possible - even though the breakup of the former homeland is the very topic of the film."

"Numerous Macedonian journalists had pleasure to see the movie before its official screening. All of them agreed on one thing - it was simply captivating."

"Grlic's triumph in front of the Croatian political elite. 'Border Post', the widely announced tenth film of the renowned Croatian director Rajko Grlic, arrived in Zagreb after being screened in Skopje and Belgrade, and after having been seen by almost eight thousand people in Sarajevo. Not even three theatres in Cinestar cinema were enough for all the invitees. The political elite, led by Croatian president Stipe Mesic, did not miss the opportunity to see the film for which they had only words of praise.
-The film is excellent and I liked it very much. It shows a country and its army in the state of disintegration and despite its comical opening it ends as a grave tragedy - commented president Mesic directly after the performance."

"Rajko Grlic makes a triumphant comeback."

"Multilayered top-class entertainment - The subtlety and precision with which he managed to weave multiple layers of meaning into the solid whole so that they reach the viewer only gradually, after a seemingly amusing start, enabled Grlic to reach the zenith of his already worthy work."

"Seductive taste of the past that 'Border Post' emanates does not stem from longing for the ex-Yugoslavia but for something, anything, that happened some twenty years ago, something that had its beauty and importance we were not aware of.
It could have been memory of a summer holiday, high school adventures, days spent in a sport club, or months wasted in attempts to form a rock band.
Subtly fast-paced, masterfully representing the moment, characters, feelings, shades and experience, as well as its aim, well-balanced between stereotypes and their counterparts, with outstanding Emir Hadzihafizbegovic in the role of strict and 'sensitive' lieutenant Pasic, 'Border Post' offers several good laughs and a pleasant bittersweet anecdote from a recent though slightly forgotten time which, as well as any other, was neither as good as remembered by some nor as evil as remembered by others."

"'Border Post' received with standing ovations."

"Rajko Grlic's film is the first project that - having in mind the present political situation in the region - involved all the republics of former Yugoslavia. Since film art transcends any national or state borders, 'The Border Post' belongs, above all, to Rajko Grlic, the filmmaker who fluently expressed the mental turmoil as well as emotional deviations of his characters. This is a small film portraying a wide range of temperaments, personalities and stereotypes of our former homeland, as well as all the twists of fate which, as the audience will recognize, introduced the evil which was to destroy everything that had been built since 1918. Unfortunately, despite the main characters' private tragedy it is impossible to avoid presenting wider historical scope of absurdity and contradiction which followed. It may well be that, until 1989, the National Army used to bring together men from Split and from Belgrade who scorned the provincial primitivism of all the Bosnian, Slovenian, Macedonian and Montenegrin backwoods and backwaters, but what Grlic strives to prove is that we lived for 50 years in an illusion of brotherhood and togetherness which had to explode four years after the events that take place in the movie."

"The audience in Split loved 'The Border Post'. Rajko Grlic's 'Border Post', made after the bestselling novel by a Split author Ante Tomic, delighted audience in Split last night."

"Mr Grlic, you can retire without any worry in the world. 'Border Post' is a complete film lover's experience that you can neither add anything to or object to in any way. Brilliant actors, intelligent playing up to the audience from these parts through easily understood metaphors. A rather attractive combination of humour with a morbid plot, in which there is a potentially serious threat of war being caused by someone's plain whim or a desire to hide an STD."

"In his tenth film, Rajko Grlic, director of 'Charuga' and 'The Melody Haunts My Reverie', proved himself as a master of his art..."

"The powerful force behind this rhythmic comedy with a tragic end are the actors working under Grlic's firm directorial hand."

"It has been a while since a Croatian film has managed to capture on screen such sincerity of emotions, the magic of seduction and playful love, and such erotic and beautiful sex scenes. Toni Gojanovic (Sinisa) brought his character with youthful performance, joy and kindness. There are scenes which make us believe that Grlic has sought a young Miki Manojlovic in him. Radiant fragility and seductiveness of Julieltte Binoche can be found in Verica Nadeska whose accent and intonation make her words glow with warmth and tenderness. The two of them emanate emotional energy in all their scenes."

"'Border Post' - the crowning achievement of Rajko Grlic's career."

"Without any unnecessary preaching and moralizing, Grlic built this bittersweet comedy with confidence, while brilliant actors Emir Hadzihafisbegovic (Pasic), Sergej Trifunovic (private Paunovic), Toni Gojanovic (the lieutenant's doctor) and Bogdan Diklic (colonel "Rade the Orchid") simply excelled on screen. Slobodan Trninic's cinematography is excellent. The audience in Centre "Sava" had every reason to give the actors a standing ovation."

"The accuracy and familiarity of detail makes 'Border Post' a movie that is precise both in its examination of the past and diagnosis when it makes a Sartrean hint that 'hell is other people'.
All characters in 'Border Post' are nothing but clowns and hidden monsters from our times. The tragedy that ensues from the comedy of 'Border Post' is the consequence of entirely trivial events, as in the case where a hiding an STD leads to a state of military readiness."

"Yesterday, journalists had an opportunity to see the latest Rajko Grlic's film, starring Emir Hadzihafisbegovic, Sergej Trifunovic, Verica Nadevska-Trajkova and Bogdan Diklic. The high-budget film, masterfully directed and exceptional in every respect, made a strong impression on the professional audience, making them stay put until the end of the credits. This is a rare occurrence here in Belgrade, where impatient viewers usually make their way out of the theatre as soon as the credits start rolling."

"'Border Post' had its opening night in Skopje in front of the sellout audience of the Millennium center. The evening had a glitz of a theatre premiere: both ladies and gentlemen were wearing formal evening attire, and it all ended in fifteen-minute applause during which the crew was encored back onstage several times."

"The sellout audience at the Centar 'Sava' gave this work a standing ovation."

"The audience in Sarajevo gave a standing ovation to director Grlic and his crew for his story about the life of soldiers in a small military post on the Yugoslav-Albanian border during the wane of the SFRY."

"'Border Post' triumphs in Sarajevo - 7500 people present at the opening night."