Dovniković’s film characters suffer a lot. They suffer great pain as they are shot (Ceremonija), they die the same way no matter how they live (Dva života), they are honored and then chained (Osloboditelj), and their whole worlds are blown away in explosions (Ljubitelji cvijeća). However, most often they have to deal with everyday problems - they are not allowed to speak (Bez naslova), they are harassed by corporals and self appointed authorities (Krek, Škola hodanja), they are bothered by nosy and intrusive passers by (Znatiželja, Putnik drugog razreda) and burdened by their life (Jedan dan života)...


However, watching Dovniković’s films gives one a feeling of optimism even though it is colored by melancholy.


Some of this melancholy optimism is the result of his characters’ natures. They are always good-natured people who want to get along well in their surroundings and believe that they will succeed in their attempts (the convicts in Ceremonija, the man on a bench in Znatiželja, the florist in Ljubitelji cvijeća, the recruit in Krek, the walker in Škola hodanja, the worker in Jedan dan života, the traveler in Putnik drugog razreda...). They are always optimistic even if they fail to do well in their surroundings. In addition the melancholy optimism stems from Dovniković’s heroes’ persistence in keeping up their good-nature in spite of a variety of people who constantly demand something from them. Even though these heroes keep suffering the viewer sees that optimism has a chance for survival in spite of all odds that are against it. Moreover, from time to time, Dovniković presents optimism as an outlet in this hard life. The optimism may be realized through imagination (the recruit’s daydreaming in Krek), through drinking induced euphoria (Jedan dan života), though escape (Znatiželja), or through the whole film (gay commercials for Podravka - Svako jutro jedno jaje...).


However, the feeling of optimism is a direct consequence of Dovniković’s drawing and animation style, which are extremely articulate and “cuddly”.


From his beginnings in the early 1950s, during his time in Kerempuh Duga film Dovniković’s drawing style was characterized by his tendency towards a distinct contouring of characters. Even “unfinished” contouring of characters or parts of characters gives the impression of completeness due to the precise suggestiveness of strokes, clearly executed animation of characters, full animation when characters need psychological characterization and reduced animation when a situation is playful. Dovniković is so skilled that he manages to depict such details in totally simple drawings so that they give an impression of richness in characters, their appearance, the ambient as well as psychology. His figuration and animation are guided by refined psychological intentions, which is very different from the dominant psychological schematic and stereotypical style of the Zagreb School of Animation (for example the style in Vukotić, Kostelac and Mimica’s films). For example, repetitive situations - and Dovniković truly loves the rhetoric of repetition - such as in his films Ceremonija, Znatiželja, Škola hodanja, Ljubitelji cvijeća, Krek others are interesting precisely because of the fine and carefully executed animation and drawing characterizations of small mime and gesturing reactions of the hero in a strange situation.


In all Dovniković’s films it is apparent that he likes to use inventive and convincing psychological characterization, which is based on his talent for noticing those psychological reactions that are worth commenting on in a given situation and especially on his talent to depict them through animation and time them precisely. He does not time just gags in his films. In Dovniković’s animated film world, the author pays much attention to timing the psychological reactions to comments.


All the previously mentioned complex drawings are characteristic of Dovniković’s work. If you look at his characters from any time in his career you will notice that all of them are nicely “rounded” and “chubby” and have child-like heads that are big in comparison to the body. This all causes the viewer to develop a pet-like relationship to the characters, sort of a relationship people have with everything that is child-like, small, round and cuddly. When you combine this cuddly nature of the characters with their suffering and typical psychological reactions, they become irresistibly lovable, and worthy of protective and supervisory emotions. Also, the problems that these constantly cuddly characters suffer from begin to seem easily surmountable. In addition, the heroes are always surrounded by malevolent characters that somehow seem ordinary and even sometimes become likeable because of their roundness and child-like contours.


Dovniković’s film world does not flatter people at all, but it is not depressing either. There is a feeling of sympathy and cuddliness to them that inspires a melancholy compassion in the viewer. Moreover, his films express melancholy because of their “acceptable incurableness”. (Hrvoje Turković)