Synopsis
Black marketeers Marko and Blacky manufacture and sell weapons to the Communist resistance in WWII Belgrade, living the good life along the way. Marko's surreal duplicity propels him up the ranks of the Communist Party, and he eventually abandons Blacky and steals his girlfriend. After a lengthy stay in a below-ground shelter, the couple reemerges during the Yugoslav Civil War of the 1990s as Marko sees the opportunity to exploit the situation.
Key facts
Original language
Serbo-Croatian, German
Production companies
Ciby 2000, Eurimages
Awards
Palme d'Or, Lumière Award for Best Foreign Film
Setting
Serbia
Trailer
Stills
Reviews
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Festival History
- Monstrale Festival 2026
- Independent Spirit Awards 1998 generic
- San Francisco International Film Festival 1997 generic
- New York Film Festival 1996 generic
- Cannes Film Festival 1995 generic
Titles
| Original title | Underground | |
| Alternate title | Il était une fois un pays | |
| Alternate title | Once Upon a Time There Was a Land |
Source: Cinémathèque québécoise, linked catalogue data (CC BY 4.0)
