Review: The Border Post-Karaula (2006)

Directed by: Rajko Grlic | 94 minutes | drama, war | Actors: Toni Gojanovic, Sergej Trifunovic, Emir Hadzihafisbegovic, Verica Nedeska, Bogdan Diklic, Miodrag Fisekovic, Franjo Dijak, Petre Arsovski, Tadej Troha, Zoran Ljutkov, Igor Bencina, Selim Sendzul, Almedin Leleta, Hrvoidje Klicecka

Zagreb 1987, calm before the storm. People do not yet know what kind of storm to expect. Even the soldiers don’t know this yet. They have already been called up and are ready for the great work. “The Border Post” shows us how a war comes about. How people and soldiers are unknowingly drawn into a war that they have not chosen themselves.

A group of Yugoslav soldiers has gathered on a mountain top. They are told the danger is imminent and in the meantime they must enjoy themselves. The film “The Border Post” is about this time in between. They are more or less locked up at this border post and spend their time mainly swearing and arguing. They can not always understand each other’s language well, which causes the biggest quarrels. Tensions arise between these boys who will eventually have to fight together for the war.

A film that is set in the former Yugoslavia and also shows a lot of the landscape is beautiful to watch. It is said that this land was created because God had some stones left and threw them over his shoulder creating this wonderful landscape. It is certainly wonderfully beautiful and in this film it is eagerly used by showing various beautiful images of nature in the background.

“The Border Post” has become a political film about a war that everyone can remember very well. Or rather; about the moments just before the war. A Croatian director who makes a film about the break-up of Yugoslavia is quite special, especially when you know that he has received support and money from all the states of the former Yugoslavia. Director Rajko Grlic does not want to make a political statement with this, but was nevertheless happy with this support. And he could certainly be happy because this film not only became a big hype in his own country, where it was the best-attended film for weeks, it is also well received at foreign film festivals. In our own country, this film won the Film & Literature Award for best book adaptation during Film by the Sea 2007. The jury of the Zeeland film festival emphasized that they found it special that the book was written while the film was already being worked on. Partly because of this, this film has won over other gems such as “Emma’s Glück” and “La Caja”. “The Border Post” is a beautiful film, but typically a male film. Playing a soldier, arguing and calling each other names. The behavior of the soldiers sometimes comes across as a bit rude, but this story shows us how naive and ignorant this country went to war.