Jack, the Balkans & I
Director Sergej Kreso
Countries
Duration 68 min
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. 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. 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 change 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.
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. 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. 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 change 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.