KOKAN RAKONJAC: PARABLES OF THE WALLED IN (1969)
Posted: Nov 17th 2008
Author: Miloš Đurđević
Considering Zazidani (The Walled In, 1969) by Kokan Rakonjac (1935-1969) as a parable inspired by and similar to those of Franz Kafka, this work compares the situation from the famous parable on “Before the Law” from Kafka’s The Trial with the destiny of Rakonjac’s main characters: a convict who tries to escape and a guard who stops him and abuses him later on. In The Walled In two main characters become intertwined and inseparable, and through their relationship the director builds a metaphor for the fundamental connection of the opposite positions and principles (prisoner/guard). This metaphorical layer of the story is visually underlined with low camera angles, dolly-in shots and detailed, vivid depiction of prison and its architecture, depiction that adds on to the allegorical value of the narrative structure. The author of this essay states how this resolute attempt of construing the most striking achievements of the European film and literature tradition was a valuable contribution to the Serbian cinema, ended unfortunately by the director’s premature death.
2007 - 2012 Novi kadrovi, supported by Open Society Institute New York, and SCP Pro Helvetia Beograd, website by Breve