Dani Tanovic's debut film about the futility of the Bosnian War stars Branko Duric as Ciki, a Bosnian soldier with really bad luck. When he and a few other relief soldiers try to join their Bosnian comrades on the front, they get lost in fog, fall asleep, and are awakened at dawn by Serbian gunfire. His comrades are all blown away, but Ciki saves himself by diving into an abandoned trench in no man's land. Nino (Rene Bitorajac), a Serbian soldier, sneaks into the trench and finds Ciki. Though both men are armed and dangerous, they are nonetheless unable to escape the trench without getting shot at by either side. The UN is called in to fix the situation but it only makes matters worse. When an English journalist, Jane Livingston (Katrin Cartlidge), gets wind of the story, a media frenzy breaks out across the front.
Tanovic knows his subject matter well as he worked as a war documentarian during the Bosnian conflict. The title of the film, NO MAN'S LAND, is especially fitting given the setting--rolling hills covered with flowers, birds, and insects. The background sound is filled with birds chirping and bugs buzzing, and Tanovic also composed the soundtrack.
DVD Features:
Region 1
NTSC
Keep Case
Single Side - Dual Layer
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Letterbox - 2.35
Stars
Branko Djuric: Actor, NO MAN'S LAND (2001)
Katrin Cartlidge: British Actress, NAKED (1993), BREAKING THE WAVES (1996)
Rene Bitorajac: Actor, NO MAN'S LAND (2001)
Filip Sovagovic: Actor, NO MAN'S LAND (2001)
Georges Siatidis: Actor, NO MAN'S LAND (2001)
Simon Callow: British Actor
Serge-Henri Valcke: Actor
Director
Danis Tanovic: Director, NO MAN'S LAND (2001)
Producer
Frederique Dumas-Zajdela: PRODUCER\BEFORE THE RAIN
Marc Baschet: Producer, NO MAN'S LAND (2001)
Cedomir Kolar: Producer, NO MAN'S LAND (2001)
Screenwriter
Danis Tanovic: Director, NO MAN'S LAND (2001)
Director of Photography
Walther Vanden Ende:
Music
Danis Tanovic: Director, NO MAN'S LAND (2001)
Review 1:
"...A first feature that defies glib categorization. Fierce, funny and finally devastating....You won't forget NO MAN'S LAND..."
Source: Rolling Stone
p.156 12/06/2001
Review 2:
"...This is a bleakly amusing, deeply ironic allegory..."
Source: Total Film
p.110 06/01/2002
Review 3:
"...A rich comic parable....Building on irony and paradox, Tanovic has made a modern CATCH-22..."
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
p.31 05/15/2001
Review 4:
"...[Callow's] performance is matched in acidic power by Katrin Cartlidge's portrayal....The movie takes extra care to convey the lushness of nature..."
Source: New York Times
p.E12 12/07/2001
Review 5:
"...This powerful film is often harrowing to watch, but it can also be shockingly entertaining. It deftly mixes macabre humor, pathos and horror..."
Source: Movieline's Hollywood Life
p.41 02/01/2002