Veljko Bulajić

Writing

Veljko Bulajić

Born

1928-03-22 (98)

Place of birth

Vilusi, Nikšić, Montenegro

Known for

Writing

Credits

35 titles

Veljko Bulajić (22 March 1928 – 2 April 2024) was a Montenegrin film director and UNESCO Kalinga Prize recipient. Bulajić spent the majority of his life working in Croatia and is primarily known for directing World War II-themed movies from the Partisan film genre. According to the Croatian Public Broadcasting Company, his films have reached an audience of over 500 million viewers worldwide. The top four most viewed Yugoslav films of all time were all directed by Bulajić. MUBI streaming service describes Bulajić as "a creator of made-to-order epic blockbusters".

Known for

Film credits

2000s · 2 titles

Behind the camera

The Battle of Neretva poster
6.7

In January 1943 the German army, afraid of an Allied invasion of the Balkans, launched a great offensive against Yugoslav Partisans in Western Bosnia. The only way out for Partisan forces and thousands of refugees was the bridge on the river Neretva.

The Battle of Neretva

1969

The Battle of Neretva poster
6.7

In January 1943 the German army, afraid of an Allied invasion of the Balkans, launched a great offensive against Yugoslav Partisans in Western Bosnia. The only way out for Partisan forces and thousands of refugees was the bridge on the river Neretva.

The Battle of Neretva

1969

The Day That Shook the World poster
6.1

An historical depiction of the events preceding the political murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, would-be emperor of the Austro-Hungarian throne, in Sarajevo on June 28th, 1914.

The Day That Shook the World

1975

Train without a Timetable poster
6.9

The story about colonization of poor Dalmatian peasants to the fertile Pannonian plain shortly after WWII.

Train without a Timetable

1959

Train without a Timetable poster
6.9

The story about colonization of poor Dalmatian peasants to the fertile Pannonian plain shortly after WWII.

Train without a Timetable

1959

Great Transport poster
7.5

This WW2 epic was one of the last movies of that kind made in former Yugoslavia. It tells the true story of great transport of Partizans from Vojvodina to Bosnia in 1943.

Great Transport

1983

Great Transport poster
7.5

This WW2 epic was one of the last movies of that kind made in former Yugoslavia. It tells the true story of great transport of Partizans from Vojvodina to Bosnia in 1943.

Great Transport

1983

Tito's Recollections poster
10.0

The recollections of Yugoslavian president-for-life, Josip Broz 'Tito'.

Tito's Recollections

1980

Tito's Recollections poster
10.0

The recollections of Yugoslavian president-for-life, Josip Broz 'Tito'.

Tito's Recollections

1980

Boom Town poster
6.9

Farmers and their families, engineers, technicians, criminals and prostitutes were acquired on the construction of industrial facilities in Zenica. Siba tries to help them, working with dedication and love that goes beyond his duty. It is difficult to satisfy everyone and achieve more in this scorching city and Siba makes mistakes, carried by desire to achieve the impossible. With great effort, the builders manage to overcome the maelstrom after the dam burst, and while the first iron runs from the new furnace, Siba, dismissed because of errors committed, leaves a boom town of Zenica.

Boom Town

1961

Boom Town poster
6.9

Farmers and their families, engineers, technicians, criminals and prostitutes were acquired on the construction of industrial facilities in Zenica. Siba tries to help them, working with dedication and love that goes beyond his duty. It is difficult to satisfy everyone and achieve more in this scorching city and Siba makes mistakes, carried by desire to achieve the impossible. With great effort, the builders manage to overcome the maelstrom after the dam burst, and while the first iron runs from the new furnace, Siba, dismissed because of errors committed, leaves a boom town of Zenica.

Boom Town

1961

The Donator poster
4.6

A war drama about a German officer's search for a priceless art collection.

The Donator

1989

The Man to Kill poster
5.8

After the murder of the Russian Emperor Peter III, who was succeeded by Empress Catherine, Satan decides that the balance between good and evil on Earth has been destabilized. In order to set things right, he sends his representative to Earth - the teacher Farfa, who bears an unusual resemblance to Peter III. His mission is to seize power from the old Duke of Montenegro, and then to take back the Russian throne as Peter III. The people of Montenegro accept Farfa as their new leader, and he proclaims himself the new Emperor, Scepan Mali, successfully resisting an invasion by the Turks. Farfa is touched by the Montenegrins' kindness and courage, falls in love with the beautiful Elfa, and fails to follow Satan's plan. Not one to be crossed, Satan sets out to kill him.

The Man to Kill

1979

The Man to Kill poster
5.8

After the murder of the Russian Emperor Peter III, who was succeeded by Empress Catherine, Satan decides that the balance between good and evil on Earth has been destabilized. In order to set things right, he sends his representative to Earth - the teacher Farfa, who bears an unusual resemblance to Peter III. His mission is to seize power from the old Duke of Montenegro, and then to take back the Russian throne as Peter III. The people of Montenegro accept Farfa as their new leader, and he proclaims himself the new Emperor, Scepan Mali, successfully resisting an invasion by the Turks. Farfa is touched by the Montenegrins' kindness and courage, falls in love with the beautiful Elfa, and fails to follow Satan's plan. Not one to be crossed, Satan sets out to kill him.

The Man to Kill

1979

Libertas poster
6.2

Dubrovnik, February 1551. After a performance of his latest masterpiece Uncle Maroje recieves a strongly negative reaction from Dubrovnik's elite, playwright Marin Držić and his theatre troop find themselves at the mercy of a powerful censor.

Libertas

2006

Libertas poster
6.2

Dubrovnik, February 1551. After a performance of his latest masterpiece Uncle Maroje recieves a strongly negative reaction from Dubrovnik's elite, playwright Marin Držić and his theatre troop find themselves at the mercy of a powerful censor.

Libertas

2006

Looking Into the Eyes of the Sun poster
7.2

Four partisans in the mountains and suffering from typhus are slowly destroyed.

Looking Into the Eyes of the Sun

1966

Looking Into the Eyes of the Sun poster
7.2

Four partisans in the mountains and suffering from typhus are slowly destroyed.

Looking Into the Eyes of the Sun

1966

Escape to the Sea poster
NR

A German soldier, after avoiding death in a Partisan raid, wanders through the unforgiving mountainous terrain of an unfamiliar country, helplessly seeking salvation.

Escape to the Sea

—

Escape to the Sea poster
NR

A German soldier, after avoiding death in a Partisan raid, wanders through the unforgiving mountainous terrain of an unfamiliar country, helplessly seeking salvation.

Escape to the Sea

—

In the Storm poster
7.4

Rose is a young woman who lost her husband in WW2, leaving her and their daughter behind. She gets close with his good-natured brother Drago. However, an unscrupulous smuggler Vincenzo is always around him, and things get tough for the couple.

In the Storm

1952

Kozara poster
6.3

In June of 1942 Germans and their collaborators decide to get rid of partisans and their stronghold in the woods of Mount Kozara in Northern Bosnia. They encircle the mountain and begin the mop up operation. Out gunned and outnumbered the partisans must not only take care of themselves but try to protect thousands of refugees too.

Kozara

1962

High Voltage poster
6.0

After WW II many young people arrive to Zagreb, among them a young worker Sonja Kacar. She is supposed to participate in the construction of the first generator in the Rade Koncar factory. Because there aren't enough experts and materials in Yugoslavia, the factory counts on help from fellow communist countries, Czechoslovakia and Soviet Union. However, after the Inform Bureau's resolution this help is no longer available. Sonja experiences a great intimate disappointment because Stjepan, who she is in love with, supports Stalin.

High Voltage

1981

High Voltage poster
6.0

After WW II many young people arrive to Zagreb, among them a young worker Sonja Kacar. She is supposed to participate in the construction of the first generator in the Rade Koncar factory. Because there aren't enough experts and materials in Yugoslavia, the factory counts on help from fellow communist countries, Czechoslovakia and Soviet Union. However, after the Inform Bureau's resolution this help is no longer available. Sonja experiences a great intimate disappointment because Stjepan, who she is in love with, supports Stalin.

High Voltage

1981

Atomic War Bride poster
6.0

At a church in the country, eternally optimistic John marries Maria, his Atomic War Bride, as a war starts, planes buzz overhead and bombs start dropping. Though John is "mobilized" by the military seconds after the ceremony, he and Maria seek to be reunited.

Atomic War Bride

1960

Skopje '63 poster
6.0

"Skoplje '63" is a 1964 Yugoslavian documentary film directed by Veljko Bulajić about the 1963 Skopje earthquake (Skoplje, per film title, is the Serbo-Croatian spelling of Skopje). The filming started three days after the earthquake and lasted for four months. After that, Bulajić spent 12 months editing the footage at Jadran Film studios.

Skopje '63

1964

Skopje '63 poster
6.0

"Skoplje '63" is a 1964 Yugoslavian documentary film directed by Veljko Bulajić about the 1963 Skopje earthquake (Skoplje, per film title, is the Serbo-Croatian spelling of Skopje). The filming started three days after the earthquake and lasted for four months. After that, Bulajić spent 12 months editing the footage at Jadran Film studios.

Skopje '63

1964

Promised Land poster
7.0

Settlers from infertile parts of Yugoslavia, arrive to rich Slavonia and Baranja. There they are faced with the decree of the Communist government by which they will be left without the land that they received in the process of collectivization just a year ago. The peasants fiercely resist the government's decision. Milisa Matic is a peasant who fights against the establishment of peasant cooperatives because in that case many peasants would lose their newly acquired land. The Communist government has decreed the founding of cooperatives and Markan Radisic is in charge of their establishment. When Markan's son proposes to Milisa's daughter, the two men confront each other. In self-defense Markan kills Milisa, however the national court fails to find mitigating circumstances. On the way to prison he listens to the news on radio about the abolition of agricultural cooperatives.

Promised Land

1986

Promised Land poster
7.0

Settlers from infertile parts of Yugoslavia, arrive to rich Slavonia and Baranja. There they are faced with the decree of the Communist government by which they will be left without the land that they received in the process of collectivization just a year ago. The peasants fiercely resist the government's decision. Milisa Matic is a peasant who fights against the establishment of peasant cooperatives because in that case many peasants would lose their newly acquired land. The Communist government has decreed the founding of cooperatives and Markan Radisic is in charge of their establishment. When Markan's son proposes to Milisa's daughter, the two men confront each other. In self-defense Markan kills Milisa, however the national court fails to find mitigating circumstances. On the way to prison he listens to the news on radio about the abolition of agricultural cooperatives.

Promised Land

1986