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JACK, THE BALKANS & I

By Sergej KRESO

Documentary - Completed 2008

What made a musician trade in his Fender Stratocaster for a Kalashnikov, and a filmmaker flee his country? A personal quest along the roads of former Yugoslavia.

- Year of production
- 2008
- Genres
- Documentary
- Countries
- NETHERLANDS
- Languages
- SERBO-CROATIAN, BOSNIAN
- Budget
- 0.3 - 0.6 M$
- Duration
- 68 mn
- Director(s)
- Sergej KRESO
- Writer(s)
- Sergej KRESO
- Cast
- Jack ROSKAM
- Producer(s)
- Denis VASLIN (Volya Films B.V.)
- Synopsis
- In 1972, Congolese-Belgian pop star Jack Roskam moves to Yugoslavia, where he meets and marries his Croatian wife. He becomes the guitarist of one of the most popular local rock bands, Galija. Tall, black and adorned with dreadlocks, Jack stands out on stage amongst his mostly Serbian colleagues.
  Being a convinced pacifist, Jack had escaped service in the Belgium army, but at the time of the outbreak of the Yugoslavian war his convictions are sorely tested. As Galija’s songs become more Serb orientated, Jack decides to leave the band. While Yugoslavian people are forced to choose sides, Jack faces the dilemma to either return to Belgium or to stay, thus sharing the fate of his new country, his family and friends. The war will force him to exchange his Fender Stratocaster for a Kalashnikov and to fight in the Croatian army.
  In this road movie, Jack and the Bosnian moviemaker travel through former Yugoslavia, reflecting on the choices they both made in the war.
- Partners & financing
- CoBO
  STIFO
  ThuiskopieFonds
  VAF
  Rotterdam Film Fund Eurodoc
  Dutch Film Fund
  Eurodoc
- Beginning of shooting
- Apr 01, 2008