BLACK FILM
1971, Yugoslavia, 14 minutes / In Serbian with English subtitles
BLACK FILM is an early example of Žilnik's political engagement, expressed through his decision to provide shelter to a group of unhoused men in his family’s small apartment. While his guests enjoy themselves, the filmmaker presses social workers, government officials, police, and even ordinary citizens for a more permanent solution. When his camera captures their indifference, his film becomes an indictment against the powers that be.
UPRISING IN JAZAK
1973, Yugoslavia, 18 minutes / In Serbian with English subtitles
Residents of Jazak, a small village in eastern Yugoslavia, reenact the ways they resisted Nazi forces during WWII—hiding guns, cutting telegraph wires, sabotaging food, and caring for Partisan soldiers. Žilnik’s camera captures stories of atrocity and grief alongside those of solidarity and mutual aid.
INVENTORY
1975, West Germany, 9 minutes / In multiple languages with English subtitles
A short structural documentary experiment that takes stock of West Germany’s “guest workers”—Yugoslavs, Italians, Turks, and Greeks—living in an old building in the center of Munich.
MARKET PEOPLE
1977, Yugoslavia, 30 minutes / Serbian with English subtitles
Žilnik takes his camera to Šabac Fair, one of the largest flea markets and festivals in the Balkans, to meet with the people who run it. Cutting between tradespeople, performers, musicians, and fair employees, Žilnik highlights its chaotic and cooperative community.