SPECIAL EDUCATION

Goran Markovic's first feature film, SPECIAL EDUCATION, attracted an audience of 220,000 in Belgrade, almost one-fourth of the city's population at the time. Set in an institution for juvenile delinquents, the film is reminiscent of Truffaut's 400 Blows, and garnered Markovic a huge following. It is his personal reflection on the debatable philosophy of Russian educationalist Makarenko. The juvenile delinquent is played by Slavko Stimac, the enfant terrible of Yugoslav films, and his teacher is played by Bekim Fehmiu, the most renowned Yugoslav actor at the time. It also features the first screen appearance of Branislav Lecic, presently the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Serbia. Markovic, who grew up the son of actors in Tito's post-war Yugoslavia, uses the film to explore the spiritual landscape of his country at a crucial time in its history. The film is significant for what doesn't happen: though there is a prescribed re-education system in place, the teacher tries new methods of changing the behavior of his delinquent students, but there is ultimately no rehabilitation, no examination of education, no commentary on such institutions. Instead, the young delinquent becomes increasingly accustomed to his surroundings, even complacent, a metaphor for Yugoslavia's transition to an urban culture. (In Serbian with English subtitles)