Punk Under Communist Regime

by Andrej Košak

Punk pod komunističnim režimom, documentary, 2D animation, cutout, rotoscoping, digital DCP, 1,77:1 (16:9), 25, c + bw, 85 min
Upcoming

SI, BG, RS

A documentary about the Slovenian punk scene between 1977 and 1985: the bands formed were all made up of high school students who, despite their youth, quickly began to perform and triggered a wave of repression by the communist party. While Marshall Tito was dying in Ljubljana, an outburst of incredible creativity from young people took place in Slovenia, who no longer agreed to the party's one-mindedness. This was the first serious countercultural blow in the former Yugoslavia followed by a “Nazi punk affair” that put the three protagonists of the punk scene in custody. While English punks gathered in pubs, Slovenian punks gathered in the city center on Johnny Rotten Square.

screenwriters
Andrej Košak, Dušan Moravec
director
Andrej Košak
producer
Zoran Dževerdanović
co-producers
Goran Radovanović, Stanislav Donchev
executive producer
Zoran Dževerdanović
lead animator
Vessela Dantcheva
animator
Saša Nikić
director of photography
Gregor Kitek
film editor
Maja Kokić
key make-up artist
Anita Ferčak
sound designer
Ekaterina Ivanova

production
Blade Production
co-production
Dynamic Arts, Nama Film
co-funding
Slovenian Film Centre, RTV Slovenija, Film Center Serbia, Bulgarian National Film Center

Blade Production
Zoran Dževerdanović
info@bladeproduction.com

Andrej Košak was born 16.6.1965 in Ljubljana, Slovenija. He has finished Film Academy in Ljubljana and then had a successful TV career where he has directed more than 500 TV emissions in all kinds of fields. In 1996 he directed his debut feature film “Outsider” which broke all domestic box office records pulling almost 5% of population in the cinema. “Outsider” brought Slovenian audience back to cinema and was distributed in all countries of former Yugoslavia, won several international awards and was Slovenian entry for Oscars in 1997. His second film “Headnoise” was adaptation of the book by most prominent living Slovenian writer Drago Jančar scripted by international acclaimed dramatic Dejan Dukovski. “Headnoise” was first official coproduction between Slovenia and Croatia and Slovenian entry for Oscars in 2002. His third film “State of shock” was developed through Equinoxe Screenwriters Workshop. Official advisors off the workshop were names from Hollywood like Anthea Sylbert, James V. Hart, Marcia Nasatir and Lorenzo Semple jr. “State of shock” was international coproduction supported by Euroimages and was distributed in several countries. His fourth film "All against all" is a political thriller, a co-production between Slovenia, North Macedonia and Croatia. "All against all" was released in 2020 in Slovenia and won many international awards.

“This is a global phenomenon, as I do not know that anywhere in the world, such young individuals aged 13 to 18 would make such quality and authentic music that is still listened to today between all generations and already has a cult status among today's youth. The documentary will outline this interesting time in a dynamic way, with montage of attractions like Dusan Makavejev's films, using a large amount of archival footage from that time, music videos, photographs, fanzines, and interviews with all participants in the scene. What will not be shown with the footage will be animated in a witty way with young animators. Like my debut film Outsider, which is the most famous feature film about punk in Yugoslavia and was distributed in all countries of the former country, this documentary will now give us an opportunity to get to know the real actors of the scene who put Ljubljana on the map of alternative music. This is the story of a rebellion that shook the very foundations of the socialist order of communist Yugoslavia. This is a true story that needs to be told.”