Black Wave

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Black Wave (Crni val). Inspired by Italian Neorealism and various waves in European cinema, the authors of Black Wave rejected the norms and ideals of optimism and self-congratulatory official culture, and instead openly exposed the dark sides of socialist society - above all the truth of its hidden capitalist side that emerged with the implementation of market economy and its devastating social consequences, like unemployment, massive migrations of workers both within the country and abroad, poverty, crime, etc. Along with Želimir Žilnik prominent directors included Živojin Pavlović, Bata Čengić, Dušan Makavejev and Aleksandar Petrović. The article that introduced the term "Black Wave" was published in newspaper Borba in 1969. The journalist offered that the Black Wave in Yugoslavian films presented a "systematic distortion of the present, in which everything is viewed through a monochromatic lens. Its themes are obscure and present improper visions and images of violence, moral degeneracy, misery, lasciviousness and triviality." (Vladimir Jovičić, "Crni val u našem filmu", Barba, 3 August 1969, pp 17-24) (Boris Buden, "Shoot It Black! An introduction to Želimir Žilnik," Afterall 25, Autumn 2010)


See also: Serbia#Experimental film