''Josef'' is a 2011 Croatian
war drama film directed by
Stanislav Tomić Stanislav and variants may refer to:
People
*Stanislav (given name), a Slavic given name with many spelling variations (Stanislaus, Stanislas, Stanisław, etc.)
Places
* Stanislav, a coastal village in Kherson, Ukraine
* Stanislaus County, Cal ...
depicting the war story of an
Austrian-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1 ...
Croat soldier during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
in 1915 in
Galicia
Galicia may refer to:
Geographic regions
* Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain
** Gallaecia, a Roman province
** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia
** The medieval King ...
.
In the film, stress is given to effective photos, music, violence and sex.
[ Polimac, Nenad]
Thompson je preko filma ipak ušao u Arenu: Ratni triler 'Jozef' pun je nasilja, seksa, efektne fotografije i glazbe
Jutarnji list, 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2011-09-17
Critics were very positive. Critics especially praised costumes and scenography, even though film was produced with low budget and in an independent production.
The film won the
Golden Arena for Best Special Effects
Golden means made of, or relating to gold.
Golden may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
*Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall
*Golden Cap, Dorset
*Golden Square, Soho, London
*Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome, Stroud#Golden Val ...
at the 2011
Pula Film Festival
Pula Film Festival ( hr, Pulski filmski festival) is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the Pula Arena. Pula Film Festival is the oldest Croatian film festival and is usually held ...
.
[Šagovac, Mladen]
Druga velika Zlatna arena za Tomislava Radića
Moj film, 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2011-09-17
Plot
In 1915, during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
in
Galicia
Galicia may refer to:
Geographic regions
* Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain
** Gallaecia, a Roman province
** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia
** The medieval King ...
,
Croatian soldiers serving in the
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army (, literally "Ground Forces of the Austro-Hungarians"; , literally "Imperial and Royal Army") was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint arm ...
were sent on
The Eastern Front to fight against the
Russian Army and
Circassian bandits. A soldier who has survived the battle, an unnamed Croat, takes a uniform and identification tag from a dead
NCO.
[ Later, the Croat and a group of Croatian Home Guard and ]Hungarian Honvéd Hungarian may refer to:
* Hungary, a country in Central Europe
* Kingdom of Hungary, state of Hungary, existing between 1000 and 1946
* Hungarians, ethnic groups in Hungary
* Hungarian algorithm, a polynomial time algorithm for solving the assi ...
deserters are captured by a Gendarmerie
Wrong info! -->
A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (literally, ...
unit led by Lieutenant Ali Tiffenbach. Before the Croat could be executed by firing squad with the rest of the deserters, he is mistaken for Zugsführer Josef, the dead NCO whose identification tag he's carrying. The Austrian Colonel decides to spare the Croat because Josef is well known as a regimental fencing
Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, ...
champion, much to the disappointment of Lieutenant Tiffenbach, who suspects that the Croat is an impostor
An impostor (also spelled imposter) is a person who pretends to be somebody else, often through means of disguise. Their objective is usually to try to gain financial or social advantages through social engineering, but also often for purposes ...
. Tiffenbach later confirms his suspicions when he easily defeats "Josef" in a sword duel.
Later, Tiffenbach's unit is attacked and obliterated by a group of Circassian irregulars led by a Russian officer, Captain Seryoza. The Croat hides the severely wounded Tiffenbach in a shack and switches their uniforms, believing the bandits would spare him if he is dressed like an officer. However, the bandits kill the Croat the moment they see him. Tiffenbach, now wearing Josef's uniform and identification tag, is later found by a woman named Pelagija, who takes him to her cabin in the woods. Pelagija tends to Tiffebach's wounds for a few days, but later betrays him to the Circassians in exchange for a horse.
Over the next few days, Tiffenbach and two other captured soldiers are physically tortured and forced to do heavy work in the Circassian camp. The Circassians later regroup with the regular Russian Army and Tiffenbach is thrown in a prison where he is left to starve. Soon, the Austro-Hungarian Army begins an offensive in the area, defeating the Russians and capturing their positions. Before the end of the battle, Captain Seryoza finds Tiffenbach and switches their uniforms, joining the Austrians. After the battle, the Austrians execute their prisoners, including Tiffenbach who is only half-conscious and unable to identify himself. Seryoza joins the Austrians as they return to their camp and takes a look at Josef's tag to see the name Josip Broz, implying that he would one day become Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito (; sh-Cyrl, Тито, links=no, ), was a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman, serving in various positions from 1943 until his death ...
, the future leader of the Yugoslav Partisans
The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene: , or the National Liberation Army, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska (NOV), Народноослободилачка војска (НОВ); mk, Народноослобод� ...
and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yu ...
.
Roles
Major roles
Supporting roles
References
External links
*
Josef (2011)
at Moj film
Josef (2011) Tralier
at Moj film {{in lang, hr
2011 films
2011 war drama films
2010s Croatian-language films
2010s German-language films
Ukrainian-language films
2010s Russian-language films
World War I films set on the Eastern Front
Films set in Ukraine
Films set in 1915
Croatian war drama films
Cultural depictions of Josip Broz Tito
Films about Josip Broz Tito
2011 drama films
2011 multilingual films
Croatian multilingual films