to watch this film, and all films, for just $6.99 / month. Otherwise you may purchase a
The Kolaborator
15 minutes | Teen | 2007 | 
United States of America
During the conflict in the Balkans, a young soldier is forced to choose between his own life and the life of an old friend.
SynopsisBased on a true story, "The Kolaborator", follows Goran, 24, a promising young soccer player who becomes a soldier as the war in Bosnia begins. Goran's life transitions from one of a talented athlete to that of an executioner, virtually overnight.
Following orders, Goran lines up civilians, shoots them and drags them into mass graves. Justifying his role as a protector of his people, Goran becomes increasingly detached from the task until his soccer coach, Assim, is led in front of him.
As a familiar face stands defeated before him, Goran must reconsider his actions and choose between his own life and that of his friend.
Director's StatementAlthough it takes place during a political event, The Kolaborator tries to avoid passing judgment of the sides involved. The film simply dramatizes and tackles a moment and ultimate decision that was made time and time again during one of recent history’s darkest periods, the war in The Balkans.
The objective of the film is to incite conversation and debate about war and terror in the name of patriotism. The story aims to expose just how easily life can transition from a state of hope and prosperity to one of deep despair.
It was a conscious decision to not specify the time or place of the events in the film in order to make the audience think about it for themselves, and contemplate the many tragic episodes of recent history that could potentially be this one.
-
Directed by
Chris Bessounian -
Written by
Chris Bessounian
Tianna Langham -
Produced by
Chris Bessounian
Tianna Langham
Patricia Poienaru - The Kolaborator Website
Written by: Chris Bessounian
Tianna Langham
Produced by: Chris Bessounian
Tianna Langham
Patricia Poienaru
Cast
Milicia: Jagoda SpoljaricLjube: Marko Malic
Assim: Jerry Hoffman
Sergeant Djuro: Blas Kisic
Aleksandra: Elizabeth Clemmons
Goran: Mark Simich
Crew
Cinematographer: Shawn GriceProduction Designer: Owen Hansen
Editor: Mannix Rickenbacher
Sound Design: Ty Higgins
Music: Paul Bolotin
Armorer: Howard Coleman
Music: Dig Lewis
The Kolaborator is just extraordinary. It's like a perfectly crafted short story. The casting is impeccable. The direction is both muscular and delicate. The outcome is both inevitable and surprising. The old man's final line is horribly ironic -- it's a curve ball thrown at the hero, and the audience. What an achievement this is. Lest I forget, your script deftly creates a whole world with a handful of simple yet utterly specific and personal details. You really drew me in...congratulations! Wow...just fantastic! Ken Kwapis - Director
The Kolaborator is a well put-together short film that makes use of its visual style to enhance its drama. Even in its short timeframe, the film gets straight to the point, and it gets its message across clearly and concisely. The images and dialogue work together; each adding their own separate elements to the story. The film speaks on multiple levels: it uses two individuals to symbolize two sides of an ethnic battle, and reminds us that the beliefs shared by a group don't necessarily translate down to the individual. The film also shows how strong even the smallest human-to-human connections can be. Also interesting is the reversal of roles during the film: a revered soccer star becomes a (somewhat) cold-hearted soldier, and the coach, once a figure of authority, becomes the noble victim. Port Townsend Film Festival jury.
An ambitious and forceful piece - DVD Talk
A powerful, well shot short about a Yugoslavian soccer player caught up in the recent war, his education in "execution" by a brutal commander, and his fateful meeting with an old soccer friend - The Daily Page
Angelus Awards Student Film Festival -- Best Screenplay (Won)
Seattle International Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
AFI Fest -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Philafilm - Philadelphia International Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Newport Beach Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
BAFTA/LA Short Film Festival -- Best Short (Won)
Woods Hole Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
São Paulo International Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Waterfront Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Santa Cruz Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Beverly Hills Shorts Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Berlin Interfilm Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
I've Seen Films (Milan, Italy) -- Official Selection (Nominated)
New York Short Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Marbella International Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Shnit Film Festival, Switzerland -- Official Selection (Nominated)
St. Kilda Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Big Bear Lake Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Big Sur International Short Film Screening Series -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Global Peace Film Festival (Orlando) -- Official Selection (Nominated)
ARPA International Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Cape Fear Independent Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
Zanzibar International Film Festival -- Official Selection (Nominated)
What drives friends and neighbors, even relatives, to start killing each another virtually overnight? This is a question that’s hounded us our entire lives. Chris, of Armenian descent, grew up with stories of the 1915 slaughter of Armenians in Turkey. Tianna, who’s both East Indian and British, was told tragic tales of the 1947 British “partition” of India during which Hindus and Muslims, who’d peacefully lived together for ages, began to destroy one another en masse. And yet, as horrific as these events are, they are just two of many such episodes occurring within the same century; another one being the war in The Balkans - recent, contemporary, equally as sad.
One day while reading about the Slobodan Milosevic trial at The Hague, Chris became interested in the testimonies of Serbian soldiers on trial. It was at this moment that the idea for "The Kolaborator" began to form. Account after account of the crimes committed, graphically described how the soldiers killed masses of fellow citizens, many of whom they knew. They killed friends and neighbors, former teachers and colleagues, even relatives. These testimonies led us to discuss how civilized people could be capable of such atrocities, especially against people they know, even care about. And so we began researching the period, researching the reasons. At one point we came across an article called “Unsafe Zone” by Anna Husarska from a 1993 edition of The New Yorker in which Serbian soldiers were interviewed, their side of the story told, and their reasons for the war explained. The more articles we read, the more transparent the source of sudden hatred became: Fear - if you don’t kill, you will be killed. Patriotism - a deep desire to protect one’s own nationality and heritage above all else. Propaganda – tales, real and fictionalized, of the destruction of one’s people by another, without any alternative views or critical opposition.
The more we read and researched, the more we wondered, if in a similar situation, with access to similar, limited, even fictionalized, information, would we also be capable of such atrocities? With this in mind, is it possible to feel sympathy for a killer as well as the killed? Based on a compilation of true stories, we set out to tell the tale of one likable, decent young man with a good life and positive future, but due to political maneuverings beyond his control, finds himself shooting a soccer ball one year, and shooting human beings the next.
-
Director
Chris Bessounian
