When Father Was Away on Business

(1985)

★ 7.3 IMDb · 159 votes

Genres: Drama

Year: 1985

Runtime: 136 мин

Country: Yugoslavia

Director: Эмир Кустурица

Cast: Moreno de Bartoli, Мики Манојловић, Mirjana Karanović, Mustafa Nadarević, Mira Furlan, Predrag Laković, Pavle Vuisić, Slobodan Aligrudić, Eva Ras, Aco Gjorčev

Plot

In a post-WWII Yugoslavia still under Stalinist rule in the 1950s, six-year-old Malik is oblivious as to why his father, Mehmed, has suddenly disappeared. In truth, Mehmed has been sent to a labor camp as punishment for acts of sexual indiscretion involving young girls. Malik's mother, Senija, however, has no answers, and the family must cope in the father's absence.

Tito's break-up with Stalin in 1948 marked the beginning of not only confusing, but also very dangerous years for many hard-core Yugoslav Communists. One careless remark about the newspaper cartoon is enough for Mesha to join many arrested unfortunates. His family is now forced to cope with the situation and wait for his release from prison. The story is told from the perspective of his young son Malik,who believes the mother's story about father being "away on business".