By the time I checked, there were two reviews of this title: One giving it a 1/10, criticising the use of "fictitious" or "distorted" facts in the film; the other giving it a 10/10 for the "realistic" approach.
As a non-expert I will not be commenting the political content of this film, may others do it, scholars or eye witnesses. Yet it is an amazing documentary, weaving personal and historical content together into a strong storyline that is accesible at all times and moving in ways you did not expect. The director manages to tell the meta-story of Serbia while linking it to the micro-story of her mother, a way of story telling which is beautiful to watch but hard to pull of.
14 Reviews
It is needed as a different look...
martinxhoxhi-936-1606119 August 2018
The film it's a refreshing look and an insight to the anti-regime movement in the 90s. Although some of the facts were biased, as the movies protagonist was an activist against the regime it still stumbles on some very good points. Srbijanka Trajlic is the protagonist in the movie and she is offered as a very interesting character, a "defeated bourgeois" she calls herself. Let alone the political aspect of the movie, that shows us the other side of the political situation in Yugoslavia, the movie has various topics buried underneath, that are touched in very subtle ways. "The Other Side of Everything" is a refreshing look to anyone interested in the end of the Yugoslavian regime. Especially for youngsters in the Balkans, wanting to see a different approach to this topic.
Interesting Doc
m-elle-kat6 March 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Interesting doc about the former yugoslavia. Don't expect brilliant insight- it's half baked at best but it shows interesting footage. A math prof who things they know and understand history is equivalent to a history prof thinking they know math enough to dictate to a nation...I digress. Otpor is a known cia operative and the poor woman in the film fell for it hook, line and sinker. Nonetheless, you get to see interesting footage and the heart breaking division that titoism was never able to overcome and which was indeed exploited by the cia which was then to be used around the world and in america itself with blm, a divisive fake movement designed to get the democrats in power.
Amazing
katsteciric5 October 2018
A Modern History of Serbia - Among Other Things
Heolcoch11 July 2019
"The Other Side of Everything" is a documentary that combines a political history of Serbia since Yugoslavia was formed in 1918 (emphasising the post-communist period since 1989) with an affectionate portrait of the public life of one woman, her family and their apartment in a genteel neighbourhood in the centre of Belgrade - which was the capital city of Yugoslavia while it survived and is now the capital of Serbia. The woman is Srbijanka Turajlic, who loved Yugoslavia and whose daughter Mila Turajlic (who also briefly appears on screen) made the film.
The film weaves together many threads to create a political tapestry that I understand. Around the turn of the millennium, NATO completely changed its policy - from supporting Yugoslavia's leader Slobodan Milosevic on the basis that his remaining in office was the best guarantee of stability in the region to bombing Serbia from the air on the basis that the same man was the "Butcher of the Balkans", responsible for war crimes. I cannot recall news media (at the time or since) even reporting that an about-turn had taken place - let alone explaining it.
The film also shows how, over the decades, Srbijanka persistently spoke up in public in support of democracy and against sectarianism, how her criticism of the policies of Milosevic while he was leader led, in 1999, to her being dismissed from her job as a professor of engineering at Belgrade University and how, after his fall from power, she became minister of education.
Milosevic's associates are now back in power - to Srbijanka's dismay. She declares that she is too old to lead another public protest and that it is now the next generation's turn to act. She wonders aloud whether Mila might take up the baton. There is no need for the younger woman to reply in words; the film itself subtly perpetuates her mother's activism.
The film weaves together many threads to create a political tapestry that I understand. Around the turn of the millennium, NATO completely changed its policy - from supporting Yugoslavia's leader Slobodan Milosevic on the basis that his remaining in office was the best guarantee of stability in the region to bombing Serbia from the air on the basis that the same man was the "Butcher of the Balkans", responsible for war crimes. I cannot recall news media (at the time or since) even reporting that an about-turn had taken place - let alone explaining it.
The film also shows how, over the decades, Srbijanka persistently spoke up in public in support of democracy and against sectarianism, how her criticism of the policies of Milosevic while he was leader led, in 1999, to her being dismissed from her job as a professor of engineering at Belgrade University and how, after his fall from power, she became minister of education.
Milosevic's associates are now back in power - to Srbijanka's dismay. She declares that she is too old to lead another public protest and that it is now the next generation's turn to act. She wonders aloud whether Mila might take up the baton. There is no need for the younger woman to reply in words; the film itself subtly perpetuates her mother's activism.
Big hug from Croatia
dijanapjevac20 July 2020
Absolutely amazing movie. Your mother is 1 in a million. I hope one day I can meet her. Such a pure loving soul. Amazing person.
This movie is something that everyone needs to see. I am very touched.
Big love from Zagreb, Croatia to you and your family.
This movie is something that everyone needs to see. I am very touched.
Big love from Zagreb, Croatia to you and your family.
Invaluable Testimony
granger-5025121 July 2020
It is great to have this as testimony why Serbian society failed to advance in after-Milosevic era. Post-Milosevic nomenclature didn't have any agenda or any concept for after-Milosevic era, and they didn't know how state system works, as stated by Srbijanka.
NIce story about painting, though.
NIce story about painting, though.
Stories behind war
kosmasp21 May 2021
War is never something ... at least for me it is something that I do not fully understand. But what does it do with individuals that are really affected by it? You have things to look back to, family members that are lost, things left behind, be it in locked rooms or in your head.
A not really easy watch, but well handled look at the balkan war (I think that is what it's called) - a personalized look into it, with quite the flavor. If you like documentaries about interesting people and their stories, this one is for you. And very well made too.
A not really easy watch, but well handled look at the balkan war (I think that is what it's called) - a personalized look into it, with quite the flavor. If you like documentaries about interesting people and their stories, this one is for you. And very well made too.
It's a tremendous work!
imafshin3 February 2022
Just paying my respect to the director of the such a human work that today we see a few like this.
We as a Iranian especially aren't stranger to this situations. Our parents tell us about revolution and the war after that.
Hope that after about four years more people see this valuable documentary.
"Your generation need to find their way"
Thanks you mila Greetings from Iran.
We as a Iranian especially aren't stranger to this situations. Our parents tell us about revolution and the war after that.
Hope that after about four years more people see this valuable documentary.
"Your generation need to find their way"
Thanks you mila Greetings from Iran.
A complete waste of time
mladen-9425723 January 2018
A sad attempt to create a "documentary" about Serbia, being the single culprit for the recent Balkan war and the split of Yugoslavia. Most of the "facts" in this "mockumentary", were either fictitious or distorted, to say at least. For the whole 2 hours, it attempts to paint the picture of citizens of Serbia as the accomplice to their government (in alleged war crimes) for being ignorant, inert and melancholic to change the "regime". NATO was pictured as a voice of common sense that was bombing the country (under the ironic code name "merciful angel"), but failing to bring the promised democracy for which the citizens were to blame. A complete waste of time I wish I have spent doing something more meaningful.
Yugoslavia and Servia - Past and now. And more.
johnpierrepatrick19 March 2020
This documentary gives us a nice overview of Yugoslavia history, mixed with the personal story of a family and its appartment - with a main focus on Srbijanka Turajlic, a human rights and freedom activist that was involved in lot of serbian historical moments.
On top of that - and that is in my opinion the top objective of this movie - it makes you think on how we, you, I would have act - or not. A question that the director of the documentary, Srbijanka's daughter, is forced to face with the come back of nationalism of Serbia. But a question, we all have to face in our times, and answers are not easy ones.
On top of that - and that is in my opinion the top objective of this movie - it makes you think on how we, you, I would have act - or not. A question that the director of the documentary, Srbijanka's daughter, is forced to face with the come back of nationalism of Serbia. But a question, we all have to face in our times, and answers are not easy ones.
Reflect on Serbian history
sanja-vucak25 March 2023
Through eyes and life of one family who change so many political regimes and every last one of them was worst than previous.
Srbijanka is one of many intellectuals who left us and I don't think that much is going to change despite her fight for freedom and democracy.
She belived in that fight and she believed that young people can save our country from corruption and criminal politicians.
I guess that is something we can hold on to until next better times come.
Love the scenes from the movie where there are everyday life of Belgrade citizens and its streets and buildings. Love the atmosphere in their home and little details from their past like pictures and personal belongings.
Really must have to watch film, I recommend.
Srbijanka is one of many intellectuals who left us and I don't think that much is going to change despite her fight for freedom and democracy.
She belived in that fight and she believed that young people can save our country from corruption and criminal politicians.
I guess that is something we can hold on to until next better times come.
Love the scenes from the movie where there are everyday life of Belgrade citizens and its streets and buildings. Love the atmosphere in their home and little details from their past like pictures and personal belongings.
Really must have to watch film, I recommend.
To stay or not to stay
lobbbby-179777 May 2023
The Other Side of Everything is a complex documentary about the last 100 years of the history of Yugoslavia (and later Serbia). But this is not your typical documentary. There are three intertwined stories in the movie. The first is about the Turajlic family - mainly about the movie director Mila Turajlic and her mother, Slobodanka, a university professor and political dissident. It tells the story of a family of intellectuals whose downfall started with the communist regime but was accelerated with the rise of Milosevic and later Vucic. The second storyline is about their apartment, which was split and partially seized by the communists. The family lives in their half of the original apartment, which is a testament to the history of both the family and the country. Finally, the third storyline shows historical moments that shaped the country, with an emphasis on the rise and fall of Milosevic's regime.
This is a brilliant documentary, and Mila Turajlic proves that she has a remarkable talent for telling a complex history of a country from a unique and complex perspective. This movie follows the turbulent history of Yugoslavia and Serbia and how it affected one family. It is a movie that anyone in Serbia could identify with, as everyone went through those struggles, and everyone at some point had similar thoughts of whether staying and living in Serbia was worth it or whether they should emigrate and never look back.
This is a brilliant documentary, and Mila Turajlic proves that she has a remarkable talent for telling a complex history of a country from a unique and complex perspective. This movie follows the turbulent history of Yugoslavia and Serbia and how it affected one family. It is a movie that anyone in Serbia could identify with, as everyone went through those struggles, and everyone at some point had similar thoughts of whether staying and living in Serbia was worth it or whether they should emigrate and never look back.
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