The Yugoslav Black Wave (a pejorative coined by critics who had trouble with the 'bleakness' and 'dark humor' of the movement) is a blanket term for the films of the 1960s and early 1970s. The YBW films are known for their non-traditional approach to filmmaking and their critical examination of Yugoslav society. The filmmakers were linked by a common desire for increased artistic expression, to reform the cinematic language, and to show the darker side of the human psyche (going against the conventionally approved facade of communist Yugoslavia). As expected, the YBW films were attacked for their 'pessimistic' views and their validation of individualism.
NOTABLE DIRECTORS
Dušan Makavejev, Žika Pavlović, Saša Petrović, Želimir Žilnik, Mika Antić, Lordan Zafranović, Mića Popović, Marko Babac
FURTHER READING
Taste of Cinema - Intro to the Yugoslav Black Wave
Wikipedia - Yugoslav Black Wave
The Calvert Journal - Yugoslavia’s Black Wave
The Hindu - Yugoslav Black Wave
