The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent () is a 2024 Croatian short drama film, written and directed by Nebojša Slijepčević.Borislav Visnjic, "Bosnia Train Massacre: Cannes Film Hails ‘Forgotten Hero’ Who Confronted Killers". Balkan Insight, 24 May 2024. Shot at the Zagreb Glavni kolodvor, the film dramatizes the Štrpci massacre of 1993, when 18 Muslims and 1 Croat were pulled off a train by the Serbian White Eagles paramilitary group and massacred; it centres on Tomo Buzov (Dragan Mićanović), the sole non-Bosniak passenger on the train who tried to stand up against the attackers.
The film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it was the winner of the Short Film Palme d'Or.Rebecca Leffler, "Sean Baker’s ‘Anora’ wins Palme d’Or at 2024 Cannes Film Festival". Screen Daily, 25 May 2024. It also won European Short Film at the 37th European Film Awards. It was nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards, becoming the first Croatian film to get nominated for an Academy Award in that category, and first Croatian film overall to get nominated for an Academy Award since the independence of Croatia. The film got selection at the 2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival 2025 under the World Lenses section.
Plot
The film depicts the true story of the kidnapping and crime in Štrpci (Bosnia and Herzegovina) on 27 February 1993, on a passenger train travelling from Belgrade to Bar, when the Beli Orlovi paramilitary unit dragged 24 Muslims from the train and executing them, before dumping their bodies in Perućac lake.
Dragan is a middle-aged man in a train car with several other passengers, including the teenage Milan, a grandfather and granddaughter, and a college student. The train stops unexpectedly, and the White Eagles are granted access to the train by the conductor. The soldiers force each passenger back into their seats and demand documentation and personal details from each. Many passengers are heard being forcefully dragged out. Milan admits to Dragan that he has no paperwork and that he will be arrested, but Dragan assures him that no one in the car will let anything happen to him.
However, when a commander enters the vehicle, Dragan fails to rebuff him and instead sits helplessly as the commander abuses Milan and orders him out of the train, falsely assuring him that he will quickly be returned. The other bystanders also sit quietly; however, the final passenger in the car, a Croat army veteran named Tomo Buzov, angrily confronts the commander and questions his authority. As Buzov willingly leaves the train to speak with the officer in charge, Milan is able to safely stay, and the train continues. Dragan watches Tomo's empty seat in silence.
The film ends with a tribute to Tomo Buzov, who was executed due to his attempt to stop the massacre.
Cast
Accolades Year Festival/Event Award Category Result Source 2024Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or Best Short Film Melbourne International Film Festival Grand Prix City of Melbourne Best Short Film AsterFest International Film Aco Aleksov Best Director FeKK – Ljubljana Short Film FestivalSpecial Recognition Festival slovenskega filma Portorož Special Recognition for Cinematography Sulmona Film FestivalEx Aequo Best Actor Euro-Balkan Film Festival Best Short Film Bucharest Short Film Festival Best Cinematography Days of Croatian Film Best Screenplay Award for Ethics and Human Rights Ex Aequo Best Actor International Short Film Festival Winterthur Audience Award European Film Academy Prix Vimeo European Short Film CinEast Audience AwardShort Films202597th Academy AwardsBest Live Action Short Film
References
External links
The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent at Indie Shorts Mag