A moving story of loneliness, missed opportunities and existential dread
A moving story of loneliness, missed opportunities and existential dread
This is Sule...
...a Bosnian poet and artist who has lived in London for forty years. Unsatisfied with his life in London, he projects all his troubles on his immigrant destiny, wallowing in idyllic memories of his beloved Banja Luka. His biggest dream is to return there one day. Unfortunately, he has a big obstacle in his way: himself. Whenever he gets a chance to go back, he subconsciously sabotages it by gambling away the money for the trip. Stuck in a rut, Sule gets one last chance to turn his life around when the Bosnian embassy in London invites him to exhibit a series of his paintings entitled: 'Guidance Through the Black Hole'. Sule sees this not only as an opportunity to redeem his artistic status, but also as a way of obtaining money to go home. But will Sule finish his paintings in time? And deep down, is it really Banja Luka that he craves?
Credits
Director: Aleksandar Nikolic, Zlatko Pranjic
Writer: Zlatko Pranjic, Aleksandar Nikolic
Produced by: Monika Braid, Barbara Jukopila, Milos Skundric
DOP: Aleksandar Nikolic
Sound: Nikola Medic
Editing: Aleksandar Nikolic
Music: Vesna Josic
Additional Camera: Petar Radulovic
Production: Fotina Papatheodorou
Info
Running time: 74'
Year of Production: 2017
Country of Production: UK/Bosnia/Serbia/Croatia
World Premiere: Sarajevo Film Festival 2017 (Documentary Competition)
Trailer
Reviews
“A film about life as a whole”
“Life itself can be stranger than fiction and that is the reason why documentaries can be as interesting as fiction features, if they are done properly, that is. Guidance Through the Black Hole, a film by Aleksandar Nikolić and Zlatko Pranjić world-premiering in Sarajevo Film Festival’s Documentary Competition, has it all: the protagonist, the plot twists and lots of style, heart and soul.”
“A well-crafted work that profits from the protagonist’s uniqueness and honesty.”
“The issue of “immigrant blues” might seem to be used and re-used in cinema, but in the case of the man nicknamed Sule, it seems completely fresh.”
— Marko Stojiljković, Cineuropa
“The film really gets under the skin”
“Poignant portrait of the life of a Bosnian artist living in London and desperate to return home.”
“The intimate black and white cinematography accentuates the dark place in which Sule finds himself.”
“warmly received on the festival circuit, and will be of particular interest to Balkan audiences.”
— Wendy Ide, Screendaily
Gallery
Cineuropa interview with co-director Zlatko Pranjic
Cineuropa caught up with Bosnian director Zlatko Pranjić, who participated in Sarajevo Film Festival's Documentary Competition with his film Guidance Through the Black Hole, co-directed with Aleksandar Nikolić.