CONVERSATION WITH RAJKO GRLIC - DIRECTOR OF "BORDER POST" ("KARAULA")

By Edita Zulic

Rajko Grlic was born 1947 in Zagreb, Croatia. He graduated a feature film directing from the  FAMU Film Academy in Prague, Czech Republic. He has directed and co-written ten theatrical feature films and His films have been distributed all around the world and shown in competition at many major film festivals. They have received more then fifty international awards including the Tokyo International Film Festival "Grand Prix" and "Best Director".
Rajko has also written nine produced feature screenplays and two television serials. He has received numerous awards for writing including a UNESCO award, FIPRESCI award and "Peter Kastner" award.
Four of his feature films are available on video and laser disc in USA. As a producer Rajko has produced four theatrical feature films and five short films. He has also directed three television documentary serials and a dozen short films. Rajko also wrote, directed and produced the CD-ROM  "How to make your Movie -An Interactive Film School" awarded with eight international awards including  "Grand Award" as the best multimedia at New York Festival 1998.   Rajko is Ohio Eminent Scholar in Film at Ohio University, Athens, OH and Artistic Director of Motovun Film Festival, Croatia.

What was the inspiration for Karaula story?

As we all know on the eve of any natural disaster, be it a summer storm or a total cataclysm, there is always a moment of total silence. It's that fine moment when everything stops, but also the moment when no one wants to talk about it.  It happens in nature, in societies, and in entire civilizations. Karaula (Border Post) is a comedy that takes place during such a moment.
Returning “home” to make a film after so many years, I wanted to talk about this moment before the madness. To make a film about those people who will be transformed, in a matter of months, into soldiers, refugees, victims and criminals. To find out how did they used to live? What they really wanted? What was everyday life like that engendered war and why was the war implanted into our minds so quickly and so easily?
Comedy was a very natural genre for such a dark subject. That’s more or less the only serious thing we can do against our own darkness – to laugh, and to laugh outloud.

Could you tell us about your experience filmming Karaula with the crew and actors from former Yugoslavia? What was your most difficult, and the most memorable experience with making this film?

Karaula (Borderr Post) was, without intention at the beginning, the first joint cultural project of all the former Yugoslav republics since the war ended in 1995.  And that was very important for all of us who worked on this film.  In short, we tried to show that such a  collaboration is possible and that together we are able to produce something more than war and hatred. I really hope that we opened some doors for those who are coming and trying to work with others, not just with the people from their own backyards.

Why did you choose to become a film director?

I tried to become a soccer player. That didn’t work out for me.  J It’s almost impossible to answer about the “reasons to become a film director” in just a few sentences. But if I need to pick up just one reason—it would probably be my enjoyment of telling these stories.

What would you tell young people who are aspiring to become film directors of tomorrow?

If you have a story which really matters to you, make a film in which ever way YOU can!

What are your favorite film directors, and why?

Carl Dryer + Orson Wells + Billy Wilder + Branko Bauer….. and many others. “Why” is too long of an answer to fit on this page.

Favorite places to visit?

Athens, OH – Zagreb, Croatia.

The most memorable experience from your childhood?

My little Adriatic boat called “Loznica II”.  

What is Rajko Grlic's next film project?