It is inappropriate and absurd in the Cultural Center (KC) "Nikola Đurković" in Kotor, which bears the name of a man who was killed by the Chetniks, to show the film "Heroji Haliarda" in which the Chetniks assert themselves, the interlocutors of "Vijesti" agreed.
There were no answers to the questions sent by Vijesti to the "Nikola Đurković" Cultural Center the previous two days. KC "Nikola Đurković" is a public institution and as such is financed by citizens' money.
"Anything that is a reaffirmation or revision of notorious historical facts goes beyond the issue of artistic freedom. I consider it inappropriate and absurd that in an institution that bears the name of a man who was killed by the Chetniks, the Chetniks assert themselves in any way," the playwright, screenwriter and director of the Podgorica City Theater told Vijestima. Stevan Koprivica.
Cinema screenings of the film directed by the director Radoš Bajić started on October 12 in Podgorica, and in the KC "Nikola Đurković" last week they announced three screenings, on October 23, 24 and 25, at a price of three euros. This caused stormy reactions from the public, primarily from Kotor, on social networks. A photo was published documenting how "Italians and Chetniks play a bloody circle around the corpse of a partisan Nikola Đurković in Herceg Novi in 1943".
There have been numerous comments and condemnations on social networks in recent days. One user also reminded that in today's Nikola Đurković Square, the 'bloody circle' was also played over the bodies of other notable figures, anti-fascists. Milan Vuković, Sitjep Šarenc, Sava Ilić... In addition to numerous citizens who reacted, the act of projection was strongly condemned by the director of Action for Human Rights, Tea Gorjanc Prelevic.
"Shame on the Cultural Center in Kotor! Someone tell them what their name is and what kind of movies they show! Nikola Đurković, partisan, lawyer, doctorate in law in France, native of Risan, pre-war president of the municipality of Risan, glory be to him", wrote Gorjanc Prelević and recalled the course of historical events:
"After their deaths, the occupier took their bodies to Herceg Novi and displayed them in the city square, which today bears the name Nikola Đurković Square. The Chetniks played the so-called dance around their bodies. 'Bloody wheel', and the photo of playing that wheel was secretly taken by a KPJ (Communist Party of Yugoslavia) sympathizer Luka Cirigović. After the war, their remains were buried at the Partisan cemetery in Savina", wrote Gorjanc Prelević.
Koprivica says that he did not see the film, but he read reviews and comments based on which he concluded what kind of work it was, regardless of the good cast. Thus, he concludes that it is inappropriate to show the film in the "Nikola Đurković" KC... He recalled the cult series "Alo, alo" which at one time caused negative criticism throughout Europe precisely because of the relativization of criminals from the Second World War.
"When the series 'Hello, hello' was broadcast, there was a serious rebellion against the BBC, which recorded the series, because they relativized the Nazis and the SS (Schutzstaffel - defense forces, a paramilitary organization under Hitler's command) have made them so comical that they are as endearing as they are funny. European anti-fascists rebelled with the arguments that it is inadmissible to relativize Nazi criminals through laughter, because they are thereby absolved. 'Alo, alo' is a great series and I can't compare it to this movie with anything else. The question arises whether something that is an obvious crime can be relativized?" explains Koprivica and emphasizes that he is not comparing the film and the series.
Consultant for international relations and university professor in Norway, former acting director of the Directorate for Sports and Youth in the Government Zdravka Krivokapića, Marko Begović no wonder the organization of the screening...
"The attempt to revise the history and normalize the Chetnik movement in Montenegro is taking place these days by showing the film in question, so it should not be surprising that the screening was held in a public institution named after the famous national hero and anti-fascist Nikola Đurković," he said.
Begović reacted earlier, before the very announcement of the cinema showing in Montenegro. Begović then told Vijest that "the production of this film should not be viewed outside of a wider context". He sent letters to the Ministry of Culture and Media, Cineplexx, as well as the shopping center in Podgorica, where Cineplexx operates, but did not receive a response.
"Although the substance of Montenegro is based precisely on anti-fascist activity, the Government of Montenegro and the relevant ministry have not responded to numerous requests to determine. Of course, the company itself turned a deaf ear, which should not be surprising because it seems legitimate to act against the interests of the state of Montenegro. Cumulatively, this is not surprising because in the last year, along with pronounced institutional instability, the revisionist and anti-Semitic discourse is gradually being legitimized. Accordingly, the planned premiere of the film entitled 'Heroji Halijarda' is part of the overall effort to equalize the Quisling (Chetnik) movement that cooperated with the Nazi regime, inheriting fascist values", Begović said at the time and added that the film "aims to through individual positive actions ignores and conceals the true nature of this movement, while at the same time defaming the work of the only anti-fascist movement, using a very offensive narrative".
Certain media from Serbia announced that the film was removed from the repertoire in Montenegro, referring to the information of the Radio-television of Montenegro, which Cineplexx denied to Vijesta.
"The placement of films in the repertoire of Cineplexx cinemas is done in accordance with the offer of distributors operating in our territory, and the selection of them is determined by the program sector according to established criteria. Regarding the specific screening of the film 'Heroji Haliarda' in Podgorica, we inform you that the film will be in the regular repertoire starting from Thursday, October 12.10.2023, XNUMX", replied the director of Cineplexx at the time Olivera Bracanović, to questions from the News.
On the same occasion, the Film Center of Montenegro said that they "have no comment on issues that fall outside the scope of work of the Film Center of Montenegro, defined by the Law on Cinematography and the Statute of the institution."
"The FCCG, as a public institution, does not have the authority to determine the repertoire of private cinemas in Montenegro, including the cinema 'Cineplexx' in Podgorica. According to Article 27 of the Law on Cinematography, the public screening of cinematographic works in cinemas can be performed by an exhibitor who meets the appropriate conditions in terms of space, equipment and professional staff, prescribed by the Ministry of Culture and Media, and we therefore refer you to them for additional answers and clarifications. was the reply submitted to Vijesti.
The Ministry of Culture and Media also referred to the Law on Cinematography, stating that the only obligation of the Ministry of Culture and Media in that part is to determine the fulfillment of the conditions in terms of space, equipment and professional staff by means of a Decision.
"The MKM determines the fulfillment of the conditions in terms of space, equipment and professional staff for public screenings, it does not affect the repertoire policy, especially when it comes to private cinemas, because this is not prescribed by the Law on Cinematography", the department replied at the time Maša Vlaović.
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