The Sarajevo Assassination

Country

Czechoslovakia, Former Yugoslavia, 1945–1991

Copyright

1975

Production year

1975

Premiere

23 July 1976

Runtime

133 min

Director

Veljko Bulajić

Genre

drama, historical

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Sarajevský atentát

Czech title

Sarajevský atentát

English title

The Sarajevo Assassination

Parallel title

Atentat u Sarajevu

Summary

Director Veljko Bulajić, a Croatian of Montenegrin descent, is perhaps best known for the big-budget picture Bitka na Neretvi (The Battle of Neretva, 1969). He also directed this ambitious Czech-Yugoslav production based on the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian heir presumptive Franz Ferdinand and his wife, the event which triggered the First World War. Sarajevský atentát (An Sarajevo Assassination, 1975) is a historical drama that follows the political dynamics of the troubled Austro-Hungarian Empire and its attempts to ease tensions in the Balkans. As the film begins, Anti-Hapsburg sentiments are gaining momentum in the region and insurgent nationalist movements are intent on violent secession from the hated monarchy… The large, international cast features a number of Czech actors in prominent roles, including Libuše Šafránková as the girlfriend of the assassin Gavrilo Princip. The royal couple whose journey ends tragically in Sarajevo are portrayed by two established screen stars – American actor of Canadian descent Christopher Plummer and Italian actress of Brazilian ancestry Florinda Bolkan.

Synopsis

After the Austrian annexation of Bosnia in 1908 the hate in the Balkans against Hapsburgs grew rapidly. In Serbia, young members of the resistance movement were secretly trained and equipped. A plan to assassinate the successor to the throne František Ferdinand d'Este (Franz Ferdinand d'Este) who was supposed to take part in military manoeuvres organized in June 1914 at the Serbian borders and then to visit Sarajevo, was made. The old emperor did not like his nephew who married his love, the Countess Žofie Chotková (Sophie Chotek) against the emperor's will. The ambitious archduke secretly intrigued and made plans with the German Kaiser Vilém (Wilhelm) about vast changes in Europe. Žofie was allowed in the end to accompany her husband to the Balkans. Students Princip and Grabež and a worker Čabrinović passed with difficulties the closely observed Serbian border to Bosnia. Despite an imperfect conspiracy, the unbelievable inefficiency of the Austrian and Bosnian authorities and even the secret services helped the resistance fighters. Although the young men had doubts about the sense of the assassination, and cruel consequences could be expected, they decided to carry it out. On 28th June a convoy of open cars set off to Sarajevo streets according to the plan. Čabrinović threw first the bomb to the car with the archduke's couple. But people in the following car were heavily injured. However, in the other part of the sight-seeing tour Ferdinand and Žofie fall directly into the Princip's gun and they both die after several shots. Austria declares war on Serbia immediately and this war grows into the first worldwide conflict.

Director

Veljko Bulajić

Second Unit Director

Gojko Kastratović, Věra Pištěková, Miloš Kohout, Branka Turkalj

Assistant Director

Vilém Kijonka

Unit Production Manager

Marinko Dodig, Mladen Koceić, Věra Lukášová, Jaroslav Vágner

Unit Production Manager

Jiřina Soběhartová

Consultant

plk. Alois Bíca, dr. Luka Djaković

Cooperation

Lenka Mojžíšová (klapka), Jan Kuděla (fotograf)

Dialogues of Czech version

K. M. Walló

Direction of Czech version

K. M. Walló

Music

Music Composed by

Luboš Fišer, Juan Carlos Calderón

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)

Songs

Hrušky sládnou, Ferdinand chce vládnout

Writer of Lyrics K. M. Walló /český text/
Singer Radoš Bajić [dab]Alfred Strejček

Adio, mare

Singer Radoš Bajić

Production info

Original Title

Sarajevský atentát

Czech Title

Sarajevský atentát

English Title

The Sarajevo Assassination

Parallel Title

Atentat u Sarajevu

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama, historical

Origin country

Czechoslovakia, Former Yugoslavia, 1945–1991

Copyright

1975

Production Year

1975

Premiere

festival premiere 17 June 1976 (27. filmový festival pracujících – léto ´76)
premiere 23 July 1976 /suitable for youths/

Production

Filmové studio Barrandov, Jadran Film Zagreb

Copyright Holders

Státní fond kinematografie

Distribution

Ústřední půjčovna filmů

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Miloše Brože, Miloš Brož (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Sales

Národní filmový archiv, Obchodní oddělení

Technical info

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 27. filmový festival pracujících – léto ´76

1976
48 měst / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 6. mezinárodní filmový festival FEST ´76 Bělehrad

1976
Bělehrad / Serbia
Jan Čuřík

Vítěz

Festival: 23. festival jugoslávských filmů Pula

1976
Pula / Croatia

Vítěz

Festival: 24. mezinárodní filmový festival San Sebastián

1976
San Sebastián / Spain

The Sarajevo Assassination

Country

Copyright

Production year

Premiere

Runtime

Director

Category

Genre

Typology

Original title

Czech title

English title

Parallel title

Summary

Synopsis

Photos

Cast

Branko Djurić

Zdenka Heršak

Rejhan Demirdžić

Veljko Mandić

Filip Hlušička

J. Venc

Alena Janošková

Alois Čuřík

B. Brandejsová

H. Grimmová

H. Maierová

Jarmila Navrátilová

Markéta Sodomková

Irena Tichá

Isabella Tylínková

J. Havle

T. Fabián

J. Hochmuth

J. Hort

J. Kryl

František Linhart

J. Rychetský

St. Šimák

Hanuš Bárta (2)

Š. Kadár

Jiří Kosek

L. Lhota

V. Mihalisko

Václav Podhorský

J. Vágner

J. Kroutilová

K. Fiala

Zdenko Mužík

M. Ubl

A. Brych

F. Roušal

J. Arnošt

Jiří Zelenka

F. Novák

L. Lánský

L. Hájek

K. Pecina

V. Nádherný

Otto Plocek

J. Louda

Milan Vitina

E. Lakatoš

B. Ondráček

B. Šilhan

Jordanko Čevreski

Miloš Kandić

Uroš Kravljača

Bata Radulović

Safet Pasalić

P. Kolář

Zbyněk Krákora

Josef Pechanec

Jiří Sládek

A. Vachek

Jiří Vach

Jan Váňa

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