Fantasia 2010: Disturbing New Stills – A Serbian Film

Steve Barton |

Jul 6, 2010

When it comes to disturbing, violent, tasteless, and brutal it doesn’t get much worse than Srdjan Spasojevic’s A Serbian Film or Srpski Film. Don’t believe us? Then check out our exclusive new stills that will either get you excited for the film’s Canadian premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival 2010 or have you running for the hills!

Fantasia Description
“Be forewarned: this is one of the most disturbing films you will ever experience, and we don’t say this lightly. Milos is a retired porn star who made his name in foreign productions. In order to sustain his impoverished family, he accepts an invitation from an ex-partner and friend, Layla, to accept one last job. He’s supposed to star in an “art porn” movie in which his instincts are more important than knowing what the script is about. The director sounds intelligent and convincing, even charming. But the first day of shooting is a bit strange. Then it gets weirder. When Milos decides to pull out, things go from bad to worse. And worse. Until they reach the unspeakable.

A SERBIAN FILM caused a lot of buzz after it amazed, enthralled and stunned audiences at Austin’s SXSW. Comparisons to the most shocking films were made. IRREVERSIBLE, SALO and MARTYRS were invoked—with good reason. But this is much more than a “dare” film which you can later boast of having lived to tell the tale about. Yes, it does graphically present some of the most depraved and sickening concepts and images ever depicted (or merely hinted at) in legitimate, serious cinema. But it is so much more. This is a beautifully shot and edited film with an excellent sense of timing and narrative economy. It is graced by a superb, droning industrial score. The drama is augmented by incredibly convincing and poignant performances.

A SERBIAN FILM is firmly rooted in the frustration and despair of living in Serbia today. It reinvents the horror genre to suit its own purpose, turning it into a powerful cinematic scream of anger and frustration. It offers a stylized version of what it feels like to grow up in a country humiliated, denigrated, impoverished, bombed-out, stripped of its territory, labeled genocidal and haunted by the spirits of war crimes both real and constructed. The film is a scream against shady politics, both domestic and foreign; against limitations both internal and external; against being both metaphorically and literally f***ed. There are moments where it goes to devastating extremes, but never without purpose or reason. You won’t know whether to laugh, cry, stare in disbelief or leave the theatre when faced with the transgressive new links between sex and death that A SERBIAN FILM reveals. This film will fuck your senses and rape your soul. You have been warned.”

Look for the film to debut at the festival on July 16, 2010 at 9:10PM and then play again on July 19, 2010 at 4:40PM. Click on the Fantasia banner below for more info!