A film about what happens when good people look away

Have you heard of the Cannes Film Festival?

This year, the Palme d’Or for the best short film was awarded to the film The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, directed by Nebojša Slijepčević.

The train comes to a halt as Serbian paramilitary forces board and interrogate innocent passengers. Only one of the 500 dared to resist them, so he was killed.

The film is the work of Croatian, French, and Bulgarian producers as well as a Slovenian (co)producer, Boštjan Virc.

Is the movie suitable for children?

If they watch it with their parents, it is definitely suitable. But young people will need an explanation.

Conventional movies portray war in a clear way. It is immediately clear who is “good” and who is “bad.” In the war that took place on the territory of the former Yugoslavia, the differences are not so obvious.

Boštjan Virc

People may speak the same language, but they differ in nationality and religion. This needs to be explained to children.

What is the moral of the film?

This is not another film about a crime that took place in the former Yugoslavia, but it tells the story of how the most honest people look away due to fear.

Boštjan Virc

This is the key message of the film.

The main character realizes that he cannot change anything. He protects someone anyway and ends up paying with his life.

Why did you decide to present such a challenging topic in a short film?

The event it depicts actually lasted as long as the film itself.

The story is short, simple, and symbolic.

This is not a story about intolerance towards minorities, but about the moral dilemma of a common man.

Boštjan Virc

Glossary

Paramilitary refers to armed forces that are not officially part of the state.

A dilemma is a situation where you have to decide between two options.

Points to Consider

1. How well do you know the war that took place in the former Yugoslavia?
2. Are you ever in a dilemma?
3. Do you know any similar movies?

For Parents and Teachers

How to talk about violence

***

The original version of this article was published on 18^th July.