Croatian drama about forbidden love in 1957 Yugoslavia wins over critics

A new Croatian historical drama, “Lijepa večer, lijep dan” (A Beautiful Evening, a Beautiful Day), written and directed by Ivona Juka, tells a story of gay love in 1957 Yugoslavia, and regional critics are greeting it as a major moment for Croatian film.

The regional culture portal Velike priče calls the film, its flaws notwithstanding, “a triumph for Croatian cinematography” and an example of a curious, fearless engagement with well-known history.

The story is not based on a single true event. Juka built it from stories, myths, uncovered secrets and secret-police files from an era when ideological loyalty was closely policed and homosexuality was grounds for persecution on both sides of the Iron Curtain.

The film is set in the tense year of 1957, with Cold War paranoia reigning in both blocs and Yugoslavia, wedged between them, guarding its own ideological discipline just as strictly. The cast includes the acclaimed Bosnian actor Emir Hadžihafizbegović.

“Lijepa večer, lijep dan” joins a wave of recent Croatian films boldly re-examining the Yugoslav legacy, a wave in which critics also single out Igor Bezinović’s documentary “Fiume o Morte!”.

Source: Velike priče. English adaptation: gay-serbia.com.