Name: Dobrica, Last Name: Unknown is a fairytale for grownups, and as such is told with absolute faith, because fairytales are only true if you believe in them. It tells the story of Dobrica (a name derived from the Serbian word for goodness), who was abandoned at birth, and follows him as he grows up, always confronting the manipulation and lies of everyday life with a pure heart and disarming innocence. Stylistically, the aesthetics of the film and storytelling reflect the same sincerity and openness. The deliberate choice of the authors to make a movie that does not fit into any kind of mold considered appropriate for these times has resulted in an unexpected form of filmmaking which opens a door to forgotten, yet deeply relevant topics, as well as to a unique cinematic approach.

 

Part of the charm and character of this movie springs from the fact that its star is Slavko Štimac, one of the most famous actors in this part of Europe, who has played leads in anthological films such as Do You Remember Dolly Bell? (Golden Lion, Venice Film Festival) and Underground (Palme d’Or, Cannes Film Festival).

 

Mr. Štimac started his career in films when he was just 8 years old. His rich body of work offered the filmmakers the rare opportunity to do something that has never been done before: to use footage from a number of different movies that Mr. Štimac appeared in between the ages of 8 and 18 in order to illustrate his character’s early life. Combining this material with new footage, the filmmakers were able to create scenes in which Dobrica is literally growing up in front of the camera. And this gives the film an unusual power and authenticity, reminding us at the same time of the most stellar moments of Yugoslav cinema. Because while Slavko Štimac was growing up before our eyes, we as audiences were growing up with him.

 

This film gathers some of the most respected actors in the country, with Slavko Štimac leading a cast that includes Hana Selimović, Mirjana Joković, Bogdan Diklić, Helena Jakovljević, Renata Ulmanski, Miodrag Mrgud Radovanović, Vladica Milosavljević, Sergej Trifunović, Marko Baćović, Bojan Dimitrijević, Rada Đuričin and Branislav Lečić.

 

This whimsical story allows some of our region’s most gifted actors to create the atmosphere of the fairytales we remember so fondly from our childhood, and to recall the days when we were able to believe in them.