Antun Vrdoljak

04.04.1931, Imotski

 

Director
Antun Vrdoljak took a degree in acting from the Theatre Academy in Zagreb (today known as the Academy for Drama Arts), and became famous for his role in the film H-8 (1958) by Nikola Tanhofer. His directing debut came in 1965 when he made one episode, Poslije predstave, in the omnibus film Ključ (the other two were directed by Vanča Kljaković and Krsto Papić). The most important work of his career was the war trilogy Kad čuješ zvona (When You Hear the Bells, 1969), U gori raste zelen bor (There Grows a Green Pine in the Woods, 1971) and Povratak (The Return, 1979), in which, (especially in the first two films based on Ratni dnevnik by Ivan Šibl), he gives a realistic account of WW II in Croatia, denying the earlier ideological stereotypes. The other significant segment of his film career involves adaptations of literary classics: Mećava (Snowstorm, 1977) based on Pero Budak’s drama with the same title, Kiklop (1982) based on Ranko Marinković’s novel with the same title, Glembajevi (1988) based on Miroslav Krleza’s drama and prose, and Karneval, anđeo i prah (1990, as TV series Zagrljaj) based on Marinkovic’s prose. He also directed one of the most popular Croatian TV series Prosjaci i sinovi (1971, based on Ivan Raos), as well as a number of short documentary films mostly about artists (e.g. O djelu Ivana Meštrovića, 1986). In the 90’s he devoted himself mostly to politics and the promotion of Croatian sport; he was the general manger of Croatian Radiotelevision and the first president of the Croatian Olympic Committee. After 14 years of absence from the scene, he directed his war epic Duga Mracna Noc (Long Dark Night), which along with Gospa is the most expensive film of the newer Croatian cinema.

Filmography

Ključ (1965)


Films by this director

There Grows a Green Pine in the Woods

(Yugoslavia, Jadran film, 1971)

Directed by: Antun Vrdoljak
PHOTOGRAPHY: Frano Vodopivec
Synopsis:

The story is set in Pannonian Croatia during WW II. Croatian Communist Ivan arrives as a political commissioner to a Partisan battalion under Dikan’s command. Dikan and the other Partisans are Serbian. The inexperienced commissioner soon faces the trials of war; he is especially conflicted when it comes to making decisions about other people’s lives…

color, 35 mm, 85'

Kiklop

(Croatia, Yugoslavia, 1982)

Directed by: Antun Vrdoljak
PHOTOGRAPHY: Tomislav Pinter
Synopsis:

Uoči početka Drugog svjetskog rata mladi zagrebački novinar Melkior Tresić ljubavnik je udane Enke, rasne strastvene ženke, no on žudi za mondenkom Vivijanom koja je mnogim muškarcima slomila srce. Melkiorovi najčešći družbenici su iskusni novinarski vuk Maestro i šarmantni notorni alkoholičar Ugo. Da bi izbjegao regrutaciju, Melkior sve manje jede da bi imao manju težinu od potrebne, no ipak završi u uniformi...

color, 35mm, 126'

The Glembays

(Croatia, 1988)

Directed by: Antun Vrdoljak
PHOTOGRAPHY: Vjekoslav Vrdoljak
Synopsis:

Eleven years after his mother’s suicide, Leone Glembay returns from abroad to his family home in Zagreb. He is haunted by depressing memories, particularly by thoughts of his deceased mother, his sister who committed suicide, and the Baroness Castelli, his father’s second wife. The only member of his family that Leone respects is Beatrice, his brother Ivan’s widow. She became a nun, taking the new name of Angelika. He is a witness to omnipresent hypocrisy and is repulsed by the...

color, digital, 119'

Love and Some Swear Words

(1969.)

Directed by: Antun Vrdoljak
PHOTOGRAPHY: Milivoj Majnarić
Synopsis:

In the 1930’s in Imotska Krajina, a municipal policeman Mate Pivac has eight children. As soon as he learns that the king sponsors every ninth child, he agrees with his wife to have another child in the hope that it will bring them financial or other benefits. A circus troupe arrives to town and their main star amazingly resembles Our Lady of the Angels. Because the temperamental lady has excited all the men, local women seek her expulsion, which must be carried out by Mate, despite the fact tha...

35 mm, color, 88 min

Od petka do petka

(1985.)

Directed by: Antun Vrdoljak
PHOTOGRAPHY: Tomislav Pinter
Synopsis:

Bankovni činovnik živi kao podstanar u potkrovlju kuće čija je vlasnica ocvala ljepotica. Nesposoban da se odupre bilo kakvom udarcu stvarnosti, on sanja vlastiti život. Petak je dan kada napušta stanodavkin krevet i ulogu prisilnog ljubavnika, zatvara za sobom vrata kancelarije, pali motor svog brodića i odlazi u zavičaj, bježeći iz velikog grada koji nikad nije zavolio. Vikend provodi u svom azilu na moru, slobodi od svakodnevice. Ali i zavičaj se mijenja, pa planirana idila protječe neočekiva...

color, 35 mm, 92 min

Deps

(Yugoslavia, 1974)

Directed by: Antun Vrdoljak
PHOTOGRAPHY: Vjenceslav Orešković
Synopsis:

Thirty-six-year-old criminal with the nickname Deps was seen entering into Zagreb in the middle of the night. The police is monitoring his moves as he is a man who was sentenced 12 times and already spent 15 years in prison. A few weeks earlier there was a daring bank robbery in the middle of the day but the perpetrator did not leave any clues. The manner, cheekiness and the police sketch all point to Deps. Nevertheless at the line-up the bank clerk does not identify him. Deps is tired and resig...

color, 94'

Kad čuješ zvona

(Yugoslavia, 1969)

Directed by: Antun Vrdoljak
PHOTOGRAPHY: Frano Vodopivec
Synopsis:

Komunistički intelektualac Vjeko dolazi iz Zagreba na mjesto političkog komesara banijskog partizanskog odreda, uglavnom sačinjenog od lokalnih srpskih seljaka. Vjeko i komandant Gara, također lokalni srpski seljak, dvojica su posve oprečnih ljudi, no vremenom će se senzibilizirati jedan na drugog. U banijskom kraju sukobi se uglavnom vode između domaćih katoličkih (hrvatskih) i pravoslavnih (srpskih) seljaka, a kulturalnoj slojevitosti pridonosi i poneki musliman. Dok pokušava uvesti org...

color, 35 mm, 92'
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