Aleksandar Petrović(1929-1994)
- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
One of the most acclaimed and successful Yugoslav directors, born in
1929. in Paris. Studied film directing at the prestigious Academy of
Performing Arts (FAMU) in Prague (1947/48). His studies remained
unfinished due to the political aggravation between Czechoslovakia and
Yugoslavia at the time and he was forced to return to homeland. He
graduated Art History in Belgrade (1955). Filmmaker since 1948. in
various projects. At first, assisting to other directors and shooting
documentaries. Awarded several times for his early works in these
movies including very successful documentaries 'Let nad mocvarom'
(1956), 'Petar Dobrovic' (1958), 'Putevi' (1959) and 'Sabori' (1963).
After two films with various success and acclamation ('Dvoje' in 1961
and 'Dani' in 1963) he directs very successful war drama 'Tri'
('Three', 1965) which won raves from critics in Yugoslavia and Europe
and an Best Foreign Language Oscar nomination in 1966. However, film
wasn't so well received in theaters. Now it is considered one of the
best movies in Yugoslavia. His next project 'Skupljaci perja' ('I Even
Met Happy Gypsies', 1967), metaphorical social drama about gypsies was
even more successful. It also won an Oscar nomination - the very next
year after 'Three' - in 1967, Grand Jury Prize and FIPRESCI Prize at
Cannes Film Festival and established Petrovic as one of the most
talented and skillful European directors in 1960s. Unlike 'Three' it
was very well received and translated in over 100 languages. In 1977.
he made the German film Group Portrait with a Lady (1977) starring Romy Schneider, which was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival. Members of Yugoslavian Board of the Academy of Film Art and
Science (AFUN) voted two of his movies among ten best Serbian films in
1947-1995 period - 'I Even Met Happy Gypsies' (#2) and 'Three' (#4). He
was one of the founders of so-called New Yugoslavian Film wave. Was
professor at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. Wrote several
books on movie and was film theoretic.
