When Father Was Away on Business

In a post-WWII Yugoslavia still under Stalinist rule in the 1950s, six-year-old Malik is oblivious as to why his father, Mehmed, has suddenly disappeared. In truth, Mehmed has been sent to a labor camp as punishment for acts of sexual indiscretion involving young girls. Malik's mother, Senija, however, has no answers, and the family must cope in the father's absence.

Cast

Moreno de Bartoli

as Malik

Predrag 'Miki' Manojlović

as Mehmed 'Meša' Zolj, otac

Mirjana Karanović

as Senija 'Sena' Zolj, majka

Mustafa Nadarević

as Zijah 'Zijo' Zulfikarpašić

Mira Furlan

as Ankica Vidmar

Predrag Laković

as Kućepazitelj Franjo

Pavle Vuisić

as Muzafer Zulfikarpašić, dedo

Slobodan Aligrudić

as Ostoja Cekić

Eva Ras

as Ilonka Petrović

Aco Gjorčev

as Dr. Jevgeni Ljahov

Reviews

deepkino

Emir Kusturica's When Father Was Away on Business is a courageous, funny, and deeply moving film that blends comedy, family drama, and political realism. The title refers to the lie a family tells a six-year-old boy to explain his father's imprisonment in a labor camp for a thoughtless remark that o...

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