''Marshal Tito's Spirit'' () is a 1999 Croatian film

directed Direct may refer to: Mathematics * Directed set, in order theory * Direct limit of (pre), sheaves * Direct sum of modules, a construction in abstract algebra which combines several vector spaces Computing * Direct access (disambiguation), a ...

Vinko Brešan Vinko Brešan (; born 3 February 1964) is a Croatian film director best known for directing several notable Croatian black comedies. Brešan emerged into prominence in Croatia and abroad with three critically acclaimed and award-winning films ...

. It was Croatia's submission to the

73rd Academy Awards The 73rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best of 2000 in film and took place on March 25, 2001, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Pacif ...

for the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

, but was not accepted as a nominee.

Synopsis

The film centers on the

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

n island of Vis in 1998. During the funeral of a local

Yugoslav Partisan The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian language, Macedonian, and Slovene language, Slovene: , officially the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska i partizanski odr ...

veteran, his elderly comrades start seeing the ghost of Marshal

Josip Broz Tito Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito ( ; , ), was a Yugoslavia, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and politician who served in various positions of national leadership from 1943 unti ...

. After rumours about the apparition spread around, a

Split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, enter ...

-based policeman who goes by the name Stipan is ordered to investigate the suspicious movements of members in his hometown, a remote Adriatic island whose only connection with the mainland is a ferry that comes around once a week. Stipan's investigation goes awry, because the leader of former local fighters, Marinko Čičin, considers him a traitor to

socialism Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

and a collaborator with the enemy, while locals only speculate of what happened. Stipan learns about the ghost of Comrade Tito from a middle-aged married couple of painters from

Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...

who are looking for inspiration on the island. After a week of investigation, Stipan returns to Split on a ferry together with a large group of locals. The Split mayor Luka, who had previously

privatized Privatization (rendered privatisation in British English) can mean several different things, most commonly referring to moving something from the public sector into the private sector. It is also sometimes used as a synonym for deregulation w ...

all state objects in the town, smells a

business opportunity A business opportunity refers to the process of selling or leasing product, service, equipment, etc., to help buyers or renters start a new business. It usually includes support or guidance to help someone begin a business, such as choosing a loc ...

and begins organizing communist-era events to attract tourism (

May Day May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the Northern Hemisphere's March equinox, spring equinox and midsummer June solstice, solstice. Festivities ma ...

parades, Relay of Youth, etc.) and maximise profits. Local Partisan veterans of the 7th Dalmatian Brigade led by Marinko decide to take arms and control the town, turning it into the communist-era shape. The island becomes a

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...

destination for retired fighters, who come in droves from the mainland to the island in belief that the time has come for the return of socialism.

Cast

* Dražen Kühn as Stipan * Linda Begonja as Slavica *

Ilija Ivezić Ilija Ivezić (20 July 1926 – 14 April 2016) was a Croatian film actor. He was born in Ričice, Gračac and died shortly before his 90th birthday. In a career that spanned more than five decades, Ivezić worked with directors such as Fadi ...

as Marinko Cicin * Ivo Gregurević as Luka * Boris Buzančić as Jakov * Ljubo Kapor as Bura * Inge Appelt as Mare * Bojan Navojec as Miuko *

Predrag Vušović Predrag "Pređo" Vušović (29 August 1960 – 17 February 2011) was a Croatian actor. He appeared in more than fifty films from 1983 to 2011. Selected filmography References External links * 1960 births 2011 deaths People from Koto ...

as Toni * Boris Svrstan as Lijan Mulderić *

Ksenija Pajić Ksenija Pajić (born 30 June 1961) is a Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to ...

as Danica Skulić

Awards and nominations

The film received 3 nominations and won 9 awards at various international film festivals. Among them, Vinko Brešan won the Best Director Award at the 36th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

References

External links

* 1999 films 1999 comedy films 1990s political comedy films Croatian comedy films Films set on islands Films set in the Mediterranean Sea Cultural depictions of Josip Broz Tito Films about Josip Broz Tito Films scored by Mate Matišić {{1990s-comedy-film-stub

Synopsis

Cast

Awards and nominations

See also

References

External links