Alexander Ris Movies
- 2008
A woman who has lost her faith in her late husband pins her new hopes on a gifted young man in this drama from director Metod Pevec. Dora (Silva Cusin) is a beautiful woman in her mid-forties who had a great talent as a pianist when she was young, but instead of honing her own gifts she helped her husband pursue a career as a concert violinist. After the death of her spouse, Dora discovers he'd been chronically unfaithful to her, and she's no longer sure what to think about the man and his legacy. Rather than sell the rare and valuable instrument her husband played throughout his career, Dora instead gives the violin to Amir (Marko Kovacevik), a gifted but poor youngster from a family of Bosnian expatriates. Amir is grateful for the gift, but his father Izet (Senad Basic) isn't much impressed and mother Sabina (Mediha Musliovic) isn't sure that music will offer much hope for her struggling family. Meanwhile, Amir falls in love with Nina (Ana Temeljotov), a teenage girl studying piano with Dora, and Dora comes face to face with the woman who lured away her husband when she hires Ignacia (Karin Komljanec) to give Amir music lessons. Estrellita -- Pesem za Domov (aka Estrellita) was an official selection at the 2008 Sarajevo Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Silva Cusin, Marko Kovacevic, (more)
A man must make a terrible decision for the sake of his family in this downbeat drama. It's 2006, and in Serbia the divide between the rich and the poor has never been wider or more punishing. Mladen (Nebojsa Glogovac) is an engineer stuck in a low-paying job that barely supports him, his wife, Marija (Natasa Ninkovic), and their ten-year-old son. Already walking on thin ice financially, Mladen and Marija crash through when they learn that their son has been diagnosed with a serious illness, and he'll die soon unless they can arrange for him to have specialized surgery in Europe. Mladen and Marija are unable to pay for the operation, and with few other options, Marija places an ad in the paper asking for financial help. One person answers the ad -- Milos (Miki Manojlovic), a sinister gentleman who is willing to pay the couple handsomely if Mladen will kill a man who has been taking business away from him. Mladen's conscience demands he refuse the offer, but as his son's health deteriorates, he begins to wonder if he could take a life in order to spare his child. Klopka (aka The Trap) was adapted from a stage drama by Nenad Teofilovic. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nebojsa Glogovac, Natasa Ninkovic, (more)
The Brothers Quay return for their first film in a decade with this live-action story of an 19th-century opera singer who is murdered on-stage shortly before her upcoming wedding. Soon after being slain by the nefarious Dr. Emmanuel Droz (Gottfried John) during a live performance, Malvina van Stille (Amira Casar) is spirited away to the inventor's remote villa to be reanimated and forced to play the lead in a grim production staged to recreate her abduction. As the time for the performance draws near, piano tuner of earthquakes Felisberto (Cesar Sarachu) sets out to activate the seven essential automatons who dot the dreaded doctor's landscape and make sure all the essential elements are in place. Once again instilled with life after her brief stay in the afterworld, amnesiac Malvina is soon drawn to the mysterious Felisberto as a result of his uncanny resemblance to her one-time fiancé Adolfo (also Sarachu). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amira Casar, Gottfried John, (more)
