For one of the best cinematic songs of the doomed ever shot, catch the outstanding Serbian fantasy drama Sun Never Again. The visionary feature debut of director David Jovanovic, written by Jovanovic and Dordje Kosic, starts off with villagers slowly taking apart a house that has been bought by the mining company. Before it is demolished, they are taking everything of any value, including copper wiring and roof tiles.
Vid (Dusan Jovic) has not sold his house yet, even though the stench from the iron mine is affecting the breathing of his son, Dule (Rastko Racic). His wife, Ada (Natasa Markovic), is told by their neighbor Rado (Radovan Mailjanic) that the prices the company is offering for houses in order to acquire more land to mine are at an all-time high. Rado sold his house for a lot of money and can’t wait to move away.
“Villagers slowly taking apart a house that has been bought by the mining company…”
The once beautiful mountain village has become a dreary wasteland, with the air pollution from the mines blotting out the sun. Rado warns that prices being offered will start dropping soon as the area becomes more unlivable and folks don’t have a choice. Ada is worried and wants to sell. Vid refuses to leave; in fact, he and his boy are building a new greenhouse in the yard. Young Dule uses his childlike imagination to interpret the encroaching doom, while Vid deals with it by getting stinking drunk at work. Both try to rise higher inside their fantasies while the ground slowly disappears beneath them.
Wow. Sun Never Again shines brightly through its bleakness in the way only great cinema can. Jovanovic’s first feature is a massive achievement and cements his reputation already as a major new auteur. Not too shabby for your first time out, especially when shabbiness is exactly what is being so brilliantly depicted.
"…definitely one of the best films of the year."
