Tošo Dabac & Photos Of 1930's Zagreb

These old photographs from the streets of Zagreb during the 1930's immediately caught my attention when the link was passed on to me. I originally planned to just include a few photos, but ended up putting a little more info here than I had planned. I spent a couple of days checking out different sites that included photos of Tošo Dabac, from the 20's right up to his death in 1970.  Lots of cool photos, in a variey of different styles, even portraits.  Anyway, it was cool to find out that Croatia had it's own Robert Doisneau all along, taking photographs of Zagreb in the depression era 1920's and during the 30's. Some very interesting images of Zagreb from that time. I have some amateur photography in my background, and some of his photos I came across is the effect I usually was going for.  I was a big admirer of the works of Steichen, Steiglitz, Cariter-Bresson, Robert Doisneau and a bunch of others that used similar techniques. (This may partly explain why I'm not a fucko-mall food court, coffee shop , fucko-bar n grill and especially downtown fucko-crowd hanger-a-rounder)

"Stockings" by Toso Dabac. Zagreb 1936.

Some of the images (If you disregard the different language billboards et all) look like they could have been photographed in parts of Boston, London, Paris or Chicago even. Toso Dabac also took a lot  of cool photographs from other parts of Croatia as well, all through his life.   Like all the great European photographers from that era that used this realistic style, images can be of good times, and bad times, sometimes in the very same photo. (It was still the depression era) Also, there was an underlying  tense political situation that had been going on since 1918, however he concentrated on his vision, the everday person, and in this series of photographs, the daily activities of the 1930's "Zagrepčani".

 He wasn't the only Croatian photographer doing similar projects either I found out. Đuro Janeković is another photographer who's work I liked.  (As a sidenote, check out  my previous post about a famous French photographer/artist and her Croatian connection HERE.) All the basic info is below about who Tošo Dabac was, along with some more links and some of his photos I decided to add from this 1930's Zagreb series.  I think Croatians, especially the city of Zagreb, owe a debt of gratitude to the work of Tošo Dabac.  If it weren't for him and artists like him, all we would have these days are those typical, postcard, news story and touristy type photographs. Here we get to see scenes and the people from that time up close, doing their everyday real life things.

 His archive comprises almost 200.000 negatives and some 2000 vintage master prints.  To view all the photos from this particular 1930's in Zagreb series, visit the Tošo Dabac website at www.tosodabac.com

If by chance you plan on being in Zagreb anytime soon, then you can see more of the Tošo Dabac archive at the  Museum of Contemporary Art

Tošo Dabac

Source: blog.teacollection.com

Related: www.body-pixel.com

tigiphoto.geticthelp.com

novine.novilist.hr

www.kic.hr/galerija

hersailsfilledwithdream.blogspot.com

www.sigurno-voziti.net

www.photo-memory.eu

www.msu.hr

www.fot-o-grafiti.hr

www.swiatobrazu.pl

www.urbancult.hr

dora-maar-muse-reborn

Official Tošo Dabac website: www.tosodabac.com





Tošo Dabac was a Croatian photographer, whose work largely focused on the streets of Zagreb between 1920 and his death in 1970. A contemporary of other famous European photographers of the time such as Robert Doisneau and Henri Cartier-Bresson, his photographs have been exhibited widely throughout the world.

Dabac’s work portrays the moments of daily life on the streets of Zagreb – people having conversations, commuting to work, walking their dogs, or shoveling snow. Photographing the same locations for decades, his work covers an array of human experiences within one city.

You can find more of his work here. Or, if you’re visiting Zagreb, stop by the Zagreb Museum of Contemporary Art to visit his archives in person.

Tošo Dabac: Dancers from the School of Nevenka Perko, Zagreb, 1934
Archive Tošo Dabac, Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb. More photos HERE.

Tošo Dabac, Life & Photographs, 1907 – 1970

Text Source: www.culturenet.hr


Tošo Dabac, one of the most important and versatile Croatian photographers, winner of many awards and member of prestigious Croatian and international photographic associations, has had a huge influence on the development of Croatian photography. He spent most of his life in Zagreb, in an environment acknowledging the importance of the photographic image at a very early stage, in a city that organised the first international exhibition of art photography in 1910*.

His first achievements were recorded in the early 1930s, when Tošo Dabac started exhibiting intensively in Croatia and abroad. Thus, in 1933, he appeared in a jurored selection at the anthological exhibition Second Philadelphia International Salon of Photography, where he exhibited in the company of great photographers such as Margaret Bourke - White, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Laszlo Moholy - Nagy and Paul Outerbridge. At that time, he was also a foreign correspondent for the Berlin, Paris and London news agencies, and attracted attention with his cycle of photographs, later called People on the Street, which brought him fame and remembrance.

In 1940 Dabac moved his studio to the historic place in 17 Ilica Street, which was soon to become a favourite venue among the artists and intellectuals of Zagreb in the 1950s and 1960s. This was the time of the Music Biennial, artistic group EXAT ‘51, the Zagreb Fair, and similar events, which made Zagreb an innovative and dynamic cultural spot in Europe.


Dabac continued to work here until his death in 1970, where the complete legacy of this great artist
is still kept today. What is characteristic of the work of Dabac, and what makes him different from most photographers of the same generation, is that in his work he was very much attached to his country, and apart from taking photos on his first big journey along the Mediterranean in 1932, he did not take photographs abroad. Love towards his country was reflected in all his work.

The Tošo Dabac Archive is currently an in situ art collection with almost 200 000 negatives, some 2000 vintage masterprints, valuable photographic equipment, library and hemerotecha. It represents one of the most complete collections of that kind in the world because it contains the complete works of Tošo Dabac. In addition to its artistic importance, the photographic collection of Tošo Dabac also has a huge documentary value because it bears witness to the history of Zagreb and Croatia. It includes various motifs, from portraits, art works and monuments, images of urban life to landscapes and folklore.

After Tošo’s death in 1970, the studio was renamed the Tošo Dabac Archive, and was maintained by his nephew and heir, Petar Dabac, a renowned photographer himself, who in 1980 established a gallery where he organised exhibitions and workshops of famous international artists. The collection has been open to experts both domestic and international, in different fields, who have often used the photographs of Tošo Dabac, recognising their artistic and historical value.




 All images of Zagreb in 1930's: www.tosodabac.com

In March 2006 the Archive was acquired by the City of Zagreb and passed on to the Museum of Contemporary Art for management. Since then an expertise has been taking place of this huge comprehensive collection, which yet needs to be given its rightful place in the history of world photography.

* “The 1st International Photographic Exhibition of the Croatian Art Society, opened February 10th 1910 in the Art Pavilion”, Marija Tonkovic, Outline of the History of Photography in Croatia, in The History of Photography in Croatia 1848-1951, MUO (Museum of Arts and Crafts), Zagreb, 1994.

1907 born on 18th May in Nova Raca, near Bjelovar, Croatia;

1917 moves with his family to Samobor,a small town near Zagreb; enroles in the Royal Classical Gymnasium in Zagreb;

1924 his first encounter with photography in the home of his schoolmate Ivica Sudnik in Samobor;

1925 Tošo’s oldest surviving photograph: a panorama of Samobor; starts reading law at Zagreb University;

 1927 leaves the University; starts working at the Fanamet film distribution company in Zagreb as press agent and translator;

1928 when Fanamet closes down he transfers to the Zagreb Metro Goldwyn Mayer office on May 8. He works there until 1937; Edits the magazine Metro-Megafon;

1932 first participation at amateur photographic show in Ivanec, a small town in Croatian Zagorje; in 1933 and 1934 the Ivanec Photo gallery publishes a Croatian edition of Die Galerie, an international art photography review which at that time has editions in German, English, Danish and Italian;

1933 Exhibitions: Prague, Second International Photography Salon (also participating were Frantisek Drtikol and László Moholy-Nagy); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Museum of Art, Second International Salon of Photography (also participating were Margaret Bourke-White, Henri Cartier-Bresson, László Moholy-Nagy, Paul Outerbridge etc.); Beaumont Newhall wrote the foreword for the catalogue; Leicester, The Tenth Midland Salon of Photography; Lucerne, II internationale Kunstphotographische Ausstellung;

1934-1936 exhibitions in Vienna, Ljubljana, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Boston, Zagreb; publishes photographic articles in newspapers;

1937 passes the practical and the theoretical part of his matriculation; the municipal authorities issue Dabac the permit to open his own studio; AFI (Assoziazione Fotografica Italiana), Turin, invites Tošo to become their member; marries Julia Grill, an operetta singer; Exhibitions: New York, Fourth International Salon, diploma for the photograph Road to the Guillotine (also participating Edward Weston, Margaret Bourke-White etc.); San Francisco, San Francisco Museum of Art, San Francisco Invitational Salon of International Photography (also participating Edward Steichen, Brassaï, Man Ray, Alexandar M. Rodchenko and Ansel Adams); Boston, Sixth International Salon, award for Life Philosopher;

1938 recipient of two awards given by Camera Craft / Monthly Photographic Competition; travels in Italy; takes part in international exhibitions in Zagreb, Vienna, Antwerp, Lisbon etc.; reportage for the newspaper Vecer on People in the Street;


1939 Camera Craft award; Exhibitions: New York, American Museum of Natural History, Sixth International Salon of Photography, Centennial Exhibition (also participating Berenice Abbott, Dorothea Lange, Man Ray, Edward Weston etc.);

1940 Dr Van de Wyer proposes Dabac for corresponding member of CREPSA (Cercle Royal d’Etudes Photographique et Scientifique d’Anvers); rents studio premises in Ilica 17, where his archives are now kept;

1941 his photograph published on the cover of Die Fotografische Rundschau, Berlin, which also includes a series of photographs from Croatia;

1943 becomes member of the People’s Liberation Front and sends photographic material to the Partisans;

1946 CREPSA invites him to renew his honorary membership; spends one month working in Istria writing an interesting diary;

1947 becomes a member of ULUH (Association of Croatian Artists);

1948 Boston, First Prize, American Photography;

1950 takes part in international exhibitions (Bern, Rio de Janeiro, etc.); gives lectures for amateurs at Fotoklub Zagreb;

1951 recipient of four Popular Photography awards in New York; Camera magazine diploma, Lucerne; Yugoslav Photo-Union elects him Master of Photography; phototographic trip throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina;

1952 Exhibitions: Lucerne, Welt-Ausstellung der Photographie (also participating were Magnum Photographers, Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, Bill Brandt, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, André Kertész etc.); takes part in international exhibitions in Luxembourg, London, Amsterdam, Belgrade etc.;

1953 Exhibitions: Zagreb, Architect’s Society, one-man show to celebrate 25 years of professional activity; Pula, one-man show; First prize in Popular Photography competition, New York; elected active member of Photographic Society of America;

1954-1955 Photographs the sights of Zagreb, Dubrovnik Summer Festival, Montenegro, Macedonia;

1956 nominated member of artistic commission of FIAP (Commission Artistique);

1959 works for Albert Müller Verlag, Zürich and Hanns Reich Verlag, Munich;

1960 works for Encyclopaedia Britannica, New York/London; Exhibitions: Munich, International Salon of Photography Das menschliche Antlitz Europas (also participating Edward Steichen, Robert Capa, Werner Bischof, Brassaï, Edouard Boubat, Ernst Haas, David Seymour etc.);

1961 recipient of the City of Zagreb Award; nominated by FIAP for Honoraire Excellence FIAP;

1962 Belgrade, one-man show;

1963 Karel Pawek invites Dabac to contribute photographs to the World Exhibition of Photography organized by Stern magazine in 1964;

1964 Sofia, one- man show;

1967 receives the annual Vladimir Nazor Award given by the Republic of Croatia for his photographs of Bogumil Tombstones; Annual photography award and Life Achievement Diploma given by Yugoslav Photography Union; photographs of recent post-war architecture;

1968 Zagreb, Arts and Crafts Museum, Retrospective Exhibition (over 300 exhibits); works for Thames & Hudson, Atlantis Verlag etc.;

1969 one-man shows in: Zagreb, Art Pavilion, Umjetnost stecaka (The Art of Bogumil Thombstones), Split, Trogir and Ingelheim;

1970 dies, May 9 in Zagreb.

I decided to throw in this more recent photo of downtown Zagreb at Ban Jelačić Square (Trg bana Josipa Jelačića) to show the difference in the downtown core. These days you won't find any vehicles at this central meeting point in Zagreb at all, except for the trams that will connect you to other parts of the city. (The statue of Josip Jelačić in the below photo is just right of center)

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Why Are Serbs So Anti-Angelina Jolie? (..And Why Does Serbian-Jesus Want To Rape & SkullfuckYou?)

Serb groups defaced a photograph of Angelina Jolie with a big Srb letter 'H'.

This is sort of an UnValentines Day kind of story at first look, especially after my earlier post today about the "Heart Shaped Island".  However, when you really think about, this may be the best day to post this actually. Totally apropos in retrospect.  I've been reading here and there about Angelina Jolie's directorial debut offering over the last while, but didn't make any plans to include it on my blog.  There's just way too many other Croatian topics I want to touch upon.  But with the reaction the film has been getting lately from Serb groups, I thought I better put my 2 cents in, let it be known where I stand.  Anyway, I'm not going to critique this movie, or add a bunch of trailers and discuss plot, imagery, suspension of disbelief, bad acting, good acting.. et all.  (I'm not Siskel and Eibert) You'll have to clink onto the links I left, or head over to Youtube for that.  There's plenty there, as well as lots of articles in internetland regarding this story.

"Raping Of 2 Women At Once - Serb Style"

In a nutshell, it seems the Serbs are back to their protesting ways again these days. Last time it was because of some casual jokes on the Chelsea Handler show, and now it's Angelina Jolie. It seems Angelina's new film "In the Land of Blood and Honey" has many members of the Serb community up in arms.  Angelina Jolie's sin?  She made a film, a film that just happens to include some real historical events from the war in Bosnia in the 90's as part of the plot.  Namely, that touches upon (but not dissects or focuses on) the mass raping, genocide, torture, ethnic cleansing, and other nice things that Serb soldiers were doing during the Yugoslav wars.  (They were doing lots of similar stuff in Croatia back then too)  The whole plot of the film revolves around that war, so I guess you have to include things like that. (You can't NOT include real events as a backdrop or plot, otherwise you may as well make a Walt Disney movie about some magical cat who is the Vice President)  The telling of the story in the film requires some real time events and information, so as to let the viewer know what the hell is going on.

Angelina and husband Brad Pitt have been appearing together for the premieres of her new film. Her film was premiered in Berlin recently and is scheduled for Zagreb this week.

Well, Serb groups are now attempting to boycott the film, movie distributors in the Serb occupied part of B-H are not going to show it in theatres, and Serbs everywhere are rallying to point out that Angelina Jolie is anti-Serb.  That the whole point of her film is to be anti-Serb and use her film as propoganda to spread more Anti-Serb sentiment the world over.  Now, I know this isn't going to go away anytime soon.  The Chelsea Handler thing is still sort of dragging around, and all because so many Serbs can tell good jokes, but can't seem to take them.  Then I thought, "Just hold on a second here....I don't think I heard even a peep from Srbs anywhere when that controversial Serbian film, (that is coincidentally entitled "A Serbian Film"), came out."  Not even one Serbian condemnation or protest against newborn porn, or accusations that the film makers were anti-Srb, trying to blacken the name of Serbdom and put Srbs in a bad light, if my memory serves me correctly. Maybe that there is the answer.   Make it a 2 movie deal.  Have a showing of "A Serbian Film" before the premier of her film.  Serbians can't complain about, or see a more patriotic movie than watching a film called "A Serbian Film", can they now?  That might make them happy.

 Filming a feature length movie about a voilent war and time, requires staying true to facts and realities from that time to be in the films plot/backdrop. Watch very closely Angelina's lips and pay particular attention to the sounds they are making. 

I also find it odd, and very strange, how a Serb film distributor, Serb politicians and segments of the Serb public in the Serb occupied part of B-H can condemn this film and it's producer/director.  I mean, the Serb controlled part of B-H was built on genocide, ethnic cleansing, rapes and torture.  Those are the 4 pillars of Serbdom that the so-called "Srpska Republika"  are truly built on.  (And that's what Srbs tried to do in large parts of Croatia too, before they hightailed their drunken criminal chetnik asses back to Rascia or the ethnically cleansed part of Bosnia)  They've always been very proud of that fact. So whats the big deal with including that fact as part of a plot or backdrop in a movie?  I'm sure these Serb groups will find some lackeys, or go buy some beers and or get a cheap hookeer for guys like Joao Joao who will then agree that "The Serbs are gettin a bad rap yo! Portugeese Jesus an Srbian Jeszus 4eva yo!"", then go help their cause, by maybe help holding Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic, or Vojislav Seselj  (Uncles Radi, Ratko and Voji as a lot of the protestors young children are taught to call them) ......posters at another protest somewhere.  Now, there have been other movies I've come across that have touched upon the topic of ethnic cleansing from that time, Behind Enemy Lines comes to mind first.  However, Angelina's film it seems is scratching a bit further under the surface, and touching upon other aspects of that war and those yucky words .."Mass Rape".  I guess those 2 words and "Serb soldiers" in the same sentence is touching a nerve with the " Greater Serbia" radicals, fascists and kooks (Not to mention paranoid-narcissistic and mentally unbalanced egocentric crowd) much, much more than simple ol' ethnic cleansing.  I found over the years, a big player in this way of Srb thinking is the Srbian church. Brainwashing their sheep with Serbisms.  Which is what the Srb church is all about anyway.  Because it's not really a church, but rather just sort of a club, a club with a bunch of guys who are called "Serbian saints" with sonme added Srb slogans and chanting, crappy art hanging on the wall and some more chanting with long bearded men telling fantastical stories about Srb saints.  (The 3 "uncles" mentioned above are also many times considered to be Srb saints btw)

These groups would like nothing better than to minimize to the extreme the bloodshed and beastiality Serb forces committed in the 90's all over the former Yugoland, or at least try to spread it around, by hook or by crook, as much as possible, so as to make it look like everyone was guilty in the same degree.  So that Serbs are seen as no better or worse in the genocide and ethnic cleansing department.  This tactic will proabably fool some people, but not me, or most people who have scruples in their head or at least know how to surf the web and read.

While Croatia was becoming a NATO member and was in the process of EU Accession Talks, Serbs in Serbia and in Bosnia were proud of supporting Serb war criminals who knew and supported the mass raping and ethnic cleansing going on. So what's the problem now with including this fact as part of a plot in a film?









"2 Serbs Soldiers Taking Turns Raping Woman"

Anyway, thats as far as I'm going concerning this story. I've seen this kind of stuff from the Serb community plenty of times over the years, so it's really nothing new, or surprising.  Even during the Serb aggression in Croatia in the 90's the same kind of mentality prevailed.  Sort of like it was ok for Serb dominated Yugoslav forces  and Serb paramilitary forces to shell and mortar schools, hospitals and unarmed civilian populated towns and cities for years, but when Croatian forces grew stronger better armed, and were able to defend, counter with fire power to reclaim ethnically cleansed areas, or even shoot back 1 bullet, all of a sudden it was..."Hey look world media! It's an attack on Serbs"  "Srbs are being attcked"!! "The Croatians are attacking Serbs!"  "Srbs are under attack!"  Pfff, saw it hundreds of times.  Anyway, you can read the articles below and make up your own mind as to whether Angelina is anti-anything, or just a film maker.

Photo: Reuters

Jolie denies anti-Serb bias as distributors boycott film

Source: www.smh.com.au

Related: www.team-jolie.com

www.huffingtonpost.com

www.she.hr

www.24sata.hr

hot.net.hr

www.guide2croatia.net

srbs-protest-chelsea-handler

chelsey-handler-vacations-in-croatia-instead-of srb

serbians-protest-arrest-of-war-criminal

www.guardian.co.uk/angelina-jolie-threats-land-of-blood-and-honey





Angelina Jolie, whose directorial debut about the Bosnian war has screened in Sarajevo, says she will not attend a premiere in Belgrade but denies she is biased against Serbs.

While thousands in Sarajevo - a mostly Bosnian Muslim city - braved deep snow and freezing temperatures to attend the gala screening of In the Land of Blood and Honey on Tuesday night, distributors in the Serb region of Bosnia have decided not to show the film.

"I am absolutely not anti-Serbian," Jolie said, answering a question during a news conference in Sarajevo, where she arrived with partner Brad Pitt to present the movie in the city where many of the most brutal events of the 1992-95 conflict occurred.

Angelina speaking at the premier of the film in Sarajevo. 

"I think it's sad that that question has to be asked today and I think that shows how divided this region still remains."

In the Land of Blood and Honey tells the story of the war through an ambiguous relationship between Danijel, a Bosnian Serb, and Ajla, a Bosnian Muslim woman, whose affection becomes hostage to their respective ethnic groups.

They attempt to maintain their relationship against a backdrop of war, killings and rapes, and pressure from their families, which proves impossible.

"I know this will bring back many painful memories because I know it's a difficult film to watch," Jolie, dressed in an elegant black dress, told the audience of 5,000 before the screening.

"But I hope when you do, it doesn't just remind you of what you've suffered but it also reminds you of all that you've survived," she said with tears in her eyes.

Some of the wartime rape victims, whose protests against the details of the plot halted the shooting of the film in Bosnia, praised the film as difficult, true and brave after it was shown during a one-week screening in Sarajevo in December.

However, some Bosnian Serbs say that Jolie has failed to show balance in presenting all sides of the Bosnian atrocities.

 Life for non-Srbs has always been "interesting" when living in the same country as Serbs and Serbian Jesus. I guess it's that Srb mentality thing. All that "Srbs all and everywhere!" crap.  Srbian grass, Srbian milk, Srbian air,  Srbian heavean.  Serbisms make one respect the fly covered shit oozing out of a rotten mule carcass by the side of the road on a hot summer day more preferable than  serbo-chetnik jesus. (Click onto the image for all the juicy details)

'Offensive'

Vlado Ljevar, the private film distributer and owner of the main cinema in Banja Luka, the largest city in the Serb region of Bosnia, said he would not show the film.

"I am 100 per cent sure that nobody would want to see it in Republika Srpska. Another reason is political, because the audience here considers the content of the film as offensive for the Serb people," Mr Ljevar said.

Jolie said she would cancel her planned visit to Belgrade to attend a premiere screening there.

"It's not just a simple threat, it's not my safety I'm concerned about," she said.

"There is so much hostility in the press, there is so much hostility and aggression where I don't know if they are able to see the film clearly at this time."

She dismissed the criticism of any perceived bias.

"The war was not balanced so ... when we say balance we mean that it is not black and white, it's not pure good and pure evil, that there are layers to each character that shows their humanity, and their own pain and their own history and they are complex," Jolie said.

"The response from the region all the more shows the importance of bringing films like this to the forefront, and because the debate is all right as long as people are talking and discussing the past and using this as a tool in some way how ever they do to move forward."

While the audience in Bosnia's Serb region will not see the film in movie theatres, an activist has organised a private screening in her home, with Jolie's blessing.

"I don't want that someone speaks in my name and claims that it is the stance of the whole nation," Ana Vidovic, a Bosnian Serb woman from the north-western town of Prijedor, said.

Angelina Jolie's movie In the Land of Blood and Honey criticized by Serbians!

On location during filming.

Source: www.bolegaindia.com

It might be shocking to many but the directorial debut of actress Angelina Jolie; In the Land of Blood and Honey has received critical acclaim in the US!

The movie set during the 1992-95 Balkan war is about a love story between a Serbian policeman and his rape victim has met with sharp criticism among Bosnian Serbs who said that the work was biased and anti-Serb.

The film is slated to be premiered in Serbia and the Serb-populated part of Bosnia in May, and Jolie has said she would like to attend the screening. Authorities have turned down a request by some war veterans' organizations to ban the film.

Jolie, who is a goodwill ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, has also been exposed to a barrage of criticism from the press and calls for a boycott to show her that she isn't welcomed in the country.

Serbian websites have been flooded with pictures allegedly showing Jolie in pornographic acts before she became a celebrity. The pictures are reportedly accompanied with comments like "once a prostitute - always a prostitute".

Internationally acclaimed Serbian film director Emir Kusturica has declined to comment on Jolie's film, calling her a propagandist not a filmmaker. Now let’s see finally what fate the movie meets!

Serbs Say: Boycott Angelina Jolie’s IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY?

Serbian groups  defaced yet again another photo of Angelina Jolie, this time with 2 Serbian letter "H"s.  A large one across her face, and then a smaller one across her T-shirt.

Source: www.filmtrophy.com

Related: www.reuters.com


Angelina Jolie‘s directorial debut In The Land of Blood and Honey could become one of the most controversial movies this year. Ok, we all wrote so much about this movie, we all know the plot, we all know the story. But…do we really? In USA, In The Land of Blood and Honey opened in limited theaters on December 23, 2011. People in Serbia (yeah, imagine, humans live in Serbia, too!) will see it on February 16th, 2012.

And that’s where the story starts. I’m about to make this report a little bit personal, just by saying that normal people live in a little European country Serbia. Why am I writing this? Well, simply because I have a lot of friends there, and when we talked about Jolie’s movie I was quite surprised that – they’re about to boycott it. What the fuck? Shocked

But why, I asked, the movie stars some famous Serbian actors, you should be happy that a big star like Angelina Jolie is behind the whole thing! Happy with what – they asked – once again we’re the bad guys who rape and kill the poor Muslims. She did’nt even try to make a movie based on the historical facts, and you call that professionalism? You call that a big directorial debut of a big Hollywood star? It’s not even an original anti-Serbian propaganda and people out here are totally against this movie.

Soon, I received some quotes from the Serbian press (which I’m about to share with you below) as well as the official Facebook Page with over 6000 members, where Serbs share their feelings about Jolie’s movie. Can’t help but wonder if Angie even cares about this, but I think it’s fair enough to hear the other side too. So here it is…

From Serbian press:

Vecernje Novosti : Angelina arogantly refuses to even consider the real story about Romeo and Juliet from Sarajevo, the real couple murdered on May 19th, 1993. His name was Bosko Brkic, he was Serbian. Her name is Admira Ismic, she was Bosnian. They were both killed when they tried to escape from the muslim part of Sarajevo on Vrbanja bridge to the Serbian part of the city. They also add the movie In The Land of Blood and Honey states there was 300,000 Bosnians killed, and 50,000 Bosnian women raped, and that it shows only victims on Bosnian side.

Kurir : Emir Kusturica says that he would never invite Angelina Jolie to the festival Kustendorf, saying: She belongs to the cinematography which is actually a hidden propaganda. She came here to make a movie only about Bosnian victims, then the question is – why not about Serbs? That has nothing to do with the reality, she simply knows nothing about our problem.

The fact is that Angelina Jolie now tries to give the political context to the movie in american media, but she goes even further – right after the premiere of In the Land of Blood and Honey, in which Serbs were represented as killers and rapists, actress and director announced the action against the “genocidal creation” Republic Srpska!

Petar Djokic, Minister of Labour, Veterans and Disability Protection of Republika Srpska, says that it is clear the whole thing is the part of a new attack on RS. Only with a new approach!

Angelina continues an attack on us. Starting with the OHR and other international organizations, their aim was always to bust the RS, and even to abolish it. And now that they have not succeeded, they want to start another war – through art. Hollywood movie should be animated by the world public and that the Serbs are again on a pillar of shame. How is it possible that the Serbs in their own home are criminals and aggressors? It is obvious that Angelina has received a lot of money to do it, it’s all being orchestrated! All of this was commissioned by extreme Islamic policies, that the Serbs would be displayed, normally, like criminals, killers, murderers and rapists. And that it would be presented that the only victims are Muslims, which is a total lie.

Mercury Scriptum: Once again, I can’t help but wonder if Angelina Jolie even cares about this. Somehow, I feel that Serbs have every right to be pissed off about the whole thing, and that’s exactly why they have my support! Small one, but hope it counts:

Galešnjak- The Heart Shaped Island In Croatia

 Since today is Valentine's Day, I noticed there are a lot of those romantic, Valentines Day-ish stories all over the place.  (Some really dumb cheesy ones too)  The adult sex toy and related paraphernalia businesses are doing brisk sales today as well.  Lots of lingerie, lotions, whips, chains, strap-ons, latex catwoman masks, stilettos and wigs being sold. Usually busiest  day of the year acutally. (Not this city however,  beef jerky at the grocery store today was selling like hot cakes though, and that new beer with a buffalo or elk or something on it)

So anyway, I decided to add this one real quickly,  since I came across it a few times today as well. The story about the island of Galešnjak, the heart shaped island off Croatia's coast.  Since it's rediscovery on Google Earth in 2007, it's come to be known as "Lover's Island".  The artlices below are from a few years ago and will do all the explaining...

Heart-shaped island highlighted by Google Earth becomes hit with lovers 

Galesnjak: It seems many lovers from around the world consider it the ideal spot for a romantic Valentine's Day break Photo: EUROPICS

A tiny island in the Adriatic has become a holiday hit for lovers because it is shaped like a heart.

Source:www.telegraph.co.uk

Related: www.tocroatia.net

www.dailymail.co.uk

digitaljournal.com

www.uniline.hr

www.pearlsofcroatia.com

www.wayfaring.info

news.softpedia.com




9:40AM GMT 11 Feb 2009


The 130,000 square yard islet of Galesnjak came to prominence after its unusual shape was highlighted on Google Earth.

Even the owner of the uninhabited island - now known as Lovers' Island - didn't realise how perfectly heart-shaped the island off the Croatian coast was until he was swamped with requests from couples to stay there.

It seems many lovers from around the world consider it the ideal spot for a romantic Valentine's Day break.

Natuarally, the local tourism industry has jumped on the popularity of the island. Various getaways complete with transportation to and from, wine and food for those looking for a secluded ...something.

Vlado Juresko said: "It has been incredible. We think it is the most perfect heart-shaped island in the world. Nobody lives there so if lovers really do want to spend time alone it's the perfect desert island.

"We always thought it looked a bit like a heart but since it's been on Google Earth everyone else has seen it too and the whole world seems to want to stay here."

The island is located in Zadarski Kanal between Zadar and the Island of Pasman.

Croatia is ranked as the 18th most popular tourism destination in the world, proving especially busy during the summer months.

Galesnjak – Croatia's island of love

 Sources: www.adriagate.com

secretdalmatia.wordpress.com




Galesnjak is a heart shaped Croatian islelet, which together with three other islands in different parts of the world make "the worlds love islelets“. The "Croatian island of love“ is uninhabited, that is why lovers who wish to spend quality time alone will have this island all to themselves.

The island is located in the Pasman canal between the town of Mrljane on the island of Pasman and the town of Turjan on the mainland. The area of the islet is 0.132 square kilometers, and the length of the coastal zone is 1545 meters with its highest peak at 36m above sea level. The island is privately owned by family Jureško. Galešnjak was “discovered” in 2008 by the web browser Google Earth, and the TV station CNN published an article about him as one of the several natural heart shaped phenomenas.

The tiny heart shaped island in the Pasman canal became a hit destination for Valentines Day, after being discovered on Google Earth the first engagement was recently celebrated on the island of love. Young Muscovites Sarukhanov Mikhail and Valentina Moros decided to do just that act on the beautiful Galešnjak.

The small island, bordered by golden sand, which was used by fishermen as a shelter from the storms will now gladly accept all couples who are looking to mark their love in a unique way.





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132 Amazing Digital Comics Artworks By Stjepan Šejić - (Nebezial)

Stjepan Šejić (born November 27, 1981) is a Croatian comic book artist currently working as an illustrator for American comic book Witchblade, published by Top Cow Productions. Stjepan almost became a lawyer, but instead decided to draw comics.

He works comprehensively in the field of illustration and his chosen tools are Photoshop, zBrush and 3DSMax. Croatia Many of his works focus on comic book covers and illustrations, which you can see in his galleries, located on CGSociety and on deviantART.

Comics:

• The Darkness vol.3 #1-2 (cover)
• First Born. #1-4 (cover)
• Witchblade #116-150 (Top Cow) (in progress)
• Broken Trinity #1-3
• Kade (comics)
• Battlestar Galactica: Season Zero #1-5 (cover)
• Terminator 2: Infinity #1-5 (cover)
• Savage Tales #1-5 (cover) (Dynamite Entertainment)
• Arcana Studio Presents

Below is just a very small sample of Stjepan's amazing artwork.  Click onto the links below to view many more:

www.tutoriallounge.com

nebezial.cgsociety.org

nebezial.deviantart.com