BIZ KONCU (WILL NOT STOP THERE)

Croatia, 2008, 112 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Vinko Bresan.

Will Not Stop There is a Croatian film with memories of the Balkan wars of the 1990s. The film is narrated by a gypsy who acts in Serbian porn films. A young man, veteran of Croatian attacks against the Serbs (he was a sniper) enlists his help to find the star of the film. It emerges that she was the wife of the general whom he killed in a sniping attack. He had watched her, sometimes pruriently, and now wants to rescue her, buying her from her pimp and setting her up to rehabilitate her.

The film seems somewhat tawdry in its opening, especially with the voice-over of the gypsy. However, the human faces gradually emerge and the film is a compassionate and understanding look at people who have suffered from the wars. There is a further complication in the health of the main protagonist, dying of cancer, wanting to do something good with his life before he died.

1.Audiences’ knowledge of the Balkan wars, the aftermath? Hostility between Serbs and Croats? As shown in the war sequences? Afterwards? A world audience looking at these countries?

2.The Croatian perspective, the Croats and their participation in the war, the Serbs and their attack? The visualising of the war, atrocities? After the war, the growth of exploitation of all kinds in the Balkans?

3.The title, the focus on Martin and his quest?

4.The narrative? Djuro and his being a gypsy, his personal slant on the story, his being a porn actor, the encounter with Martin at his home, his not wanting his wife and the neighbours to know? Martin’s pressure on him to get the information? His supplying it to Martin? His telling the story, observing, meeting Desa? The visit and his advice? The end, his wife knowing the story, her pregnancy, the neighbours, the joking attitude? His bringing Desa and Martin together? His not really being the Wolf of the film?

5.Martin, the market, looking at the DVDs, getting information about the star, the advice to go to Djuro? His going to the studio, the range of types, the ugly world, the pimp, the pornography, the women as prostitutes? His finding thirty-five thousand euro to buy Desa? Collecting debts at the funeral and people giving him the money? His selling the maps of where Croatians were buried? His buying Desa? Her going with him, her being drunk the vodka? Djuro and the passports?

6.The flashbacks to the war, the team of Croatian military, the major, his orders, Martin as sniper, watching the official and his wife, the detail of their lives, the husband? Martin becoming infatuated with the wife, her character as observed by Martin and the audience? Behaviour, ordinary, loving her husband? Martin finally shooting him? Desa’s reaction? His not killing her?

7.Martin and his mother, the visit, the issue of the need for a kidney, the mother’s illness, her sister coming, giving the kidney – their both dying? Martin visiting the grave?

8.Martin and his taking Desa home, her reaction, dazed? Her sexual expectations? Not fulfilled? The talking, the routines of the house, the girls on the phone, Desa’s birthday and Martin giving her the gift, her sobering up, the restaurant? In the town, people that she knew, the various reactions, especially because of her husband?

9.Martin’s friends, together in the past, in the war? Turning to drugs? The policeman? The variety of rackets? The major as the boss? Getting the maps, the places where the Croatians were buried – and the hefty charges for the relatives to find these places? Martin upset? Nikola and the shooting? Martin and the shooting? His wanting to get out of his associate with these men? The knife, the warning to kill? Desa and her bashing Martin, the escape? The shooting of the boss?

10.The relationship between Martin and Desa, whether she would leave or not, kiss, love? Desa’s puzzle, the search, the discovery of the truth about Martin, the rifle? The confrontation?

11.Martin, the hospital, his tumour, not long to live? Wanting to do one good thing before he died?

12.The proposal, her reaction, going away, not wanting to be with Martin, saying that she did not want to suffer twice?

13.Martin, his impending death, whether to commit suicide or not?

14.Djuro, his wife, the neighbours, Martin and Desa, the happy celebration?

15.A human story, squalid settings, war and enmities, infatuation and love, the possibility of redemption by doing a good thing with one’s life?