First big film about the suffering of Serbians in WW1 posted online; Watch "With Faith in God"

After Vojin Djordjevic's documentary, “Belgrade, the Capital of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia” - Jugoslovenska Kinoteka (the national film archive) also posted the 1932 silent film “With Faith in God” ("Sa verom u Boga") directed by Mihajlo Al. Popovic, on its YouTube channel.

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According to Kinoteka, all those interested in this work can see the digitally restored version for free. It is considered the best Yugoslav feature film in the inter-war period, and represents "a most sincere depiction of the suffering, and of the salvation of the Serb people in World War I."

Mihajlo Al. Popovic (1908-1990), one of the pioneers of film in this region, wrote the screenplay inspired by Branislav Nusic's story, "The Empty House."

The film depicts the tragic fate of a Serbian rural family during World War I and the Austrian occupation of the country

At the time of the premiere, newspapers wrote that "With Faith in God" was the first major Yugoslav film from the time of our hardest and brightest days, about the suffering of Serbia and the creation of Yugoslavia. In addition to the scenes of village life, the fighting of our soldiers was also depicted excellently.

Produced by M.A.P., Popovic was also the director of photography, while the cameraman was Milivoje Radovic. The cast included Ljubisa Jungovic Kosmajac, Desa Janojlic, Jelisaveta Dimitrijevic, Mita Nikolic, Biserka Milovanovic, Gojko Bozovic, and others.

"With Faith in God" / Printscreen: Youtube/Jugoslovenska Kinoteka

Members of the Yugoslav Film Club and residents of the village of Kumodraz participated in the shooting of the film.

The version available today is 42 minutes long.

Based on preserved material, the film was restored in 1988 by Popovic, its author, and by Dr. Marko Babac, with the help of Varteks Baronijan, Svetislav Ristic and Kinoteka's experts.

The restored version was shown with great success at the Pordenone silent film festival in Italy.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)