Želimir Žilnik Shorts II

Short Film Program II

The second short film program presents films about work, poverty, and the living conditions of workers in Yugoslavia and West Germany. After 1953 –1961 economic boom, Yugoslavia entered a period of stagnation, which increased social exclusion. In 1968, the number of migrant workers in Western Europe increased several times, and upon their return to Yugoslavia in the 1970s, the number of unemployed rose sharply. During this period, Žilnik similarly struggled to find work in his own country; therefore, in 1973, the director left for Germany, where he began recording the stories of migrant workers. Black Film (1971) is one of his best-known works. In it, the director invites six men experiencing homelessness to stay at his apartment, trying to draw attention to the problem and find a solution. The Unemployed (1968) refutes the idealization of work in socialist Yugoslavia. The films Inventory (1975), Protected by the State (1976), and House Rules (1976) expose the exploitation and injustice experienced by migrants. These films give a voice to workers, whose homes and worn-out bodies bear witness to the consequences of ideological systems on both collective and individual consciousness. Regarding these latter films, the director came under surveillance by the West German authorities, leading to the film Public Execution (1974), about questionable police actions against a suspect in a bank robbery, being banned. In 1977, his residence permit in Germany was not renewed; therefore, Žilnikas returned to Yugoslavia.

Black Film
Crni film

One evening, Želimir Žilnik, having met six homeless men, decides to bring them to his apartment. While they spend time at home, the director takes his camera to the streets to find a solution to these men’s homelessness. Talking to everyone, from ordinary city residents to the police, he encounters indifference and confusion. Soviet socialism, it turns out, exists without any social security.

The Unemployed
Nezaposleni ljudi

A series of portraits and situations featuring people who have lost their jobs or are unable to find one due to economic reforms in Yugoslavia. The film criticizes socialism, which fails to meet even the most basic human needs, as well as parasitic bureaucracy, which allows only a few to live well while dragging down the rest of society. These factors leave their mark on people’s bodies: unemployment manifests itself in illness and neglect.

Inventory
Inventur- Metzstrasse 11

In this short film, Želimir Žilnik paints a portrait of the international, multicultural community that lived in Munich in 1975. One after another, thirty residents of the building, most of whom are migrant workers in West Germany, step in front of the camera in the stairwell and briefly describe their life situation. We hear about the fears, dissatisfaction, and hopes that accompany immigrants in their daily lives.

Under the Protection of the State
Unter Denkmalschultz

The film was shot in an old, dilapidated building in West Germany, where many migrant workers live. The owner of the building, an influential local politician, avoids necessary maintenance work by registering it as a cultural heritage site, but still charges the residents high rents. The only German living in the apartment building shows the film crew around and tells them about his never-ending battle with the owner.

House Orders
Hausordnung

Companies in West Germany provided accommodation for migrant workers, thus imposing a double obligation on them: if they lost their jobs, they would also lose their homes. These dwellings were subject to strict rules, often violating the residents’ rights to freedom of movement and privacy. Residents and supervisors interviewed reveal absurd situations and disputes provoked by these rules. The film reveals the complex relationship between migrants and Germany – high expectations are replaced by disappointment and anger.

Public Execution
Öffentliche Hinrichtung

This documentary essay analyzes the events of 1974, during which German police shot suspects at the scene of a crime. The film uses television footage showing the actions of the police, suggesting that the media benefits from convictions without the arrest or trial of suspects. According to lawyers and political analysts, the police exceeded their authority. In Germany, this film has not yet been granted the right to be shown publicly, on the grounds that the film director misrepresented the context of the situation.