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W.R. – Misterije Organizma

W.R. – Mysteries of the Organism
Forum 50 2020
W.R. – Misterje Organizma is four (or even more) films in one: Dušan Makavejev’s documentary take on the USA; an educational film about Wilhelm Reich; a feature film about Milena, a Yugoslavian Marxist who calls for free love in the spirit of communism; and an essay on exactly that – the relationship between communism and sexuality. This relationship – spirit and matter – is given cinematic shape, driving both mind and body between analytic-satirical editing and sensuous excesses of colour and form. The many strands of the film come together in a deliberately bewildering, overwrought montage that would rather spin a brightly coloured tangle of images, excesses, jokes and shock moments than follow any one thread consistently. “Beneath the film’s light-hearted frivolity and marvellous humour lurks a more serious ideological intent: opposition to all oppressive social systems”. (Amos Vogel) It is likely not just Milena’s fiery castigation of Stalinism that earned W.R. – Misterje Organizma a 16-year ban in Yugoslavia.
by Dušan Makavejev
with Milena Dravić, Jagoda Kaloper, Ivica Vidović, Tuli Kupferberg, Zoran Radmilović, Miodrag Andrić, Zivka Matić, Dragoljub Ivkov, Nikola Milić, Milan Jelić, Betty Dodson, Jim Buckley, Nancy Goldrey, Jackie Curtis Yugoslavia / Federal Republic of Germany 1971 English, Serbo-Croatian 84’ Colour & Black/White

With

  • Milena Dravić (Milena)
  • Jagoda Kaloper (Jagoda)
  • Ivica Vidović (Vladimir Iljić)
  • Tuli Kupferberg (US-Soldat)
  • Zoran Radmilović (Radmilović)
  • Miodrag Andrić (Soldat)
  • Zivka Matić (Landlady)
  • Dragoljub Ivkov
  • Nikola Milić
  • Milan Jelić
  • Betty Dodson
  • Jim Buckley
  • Nancy Goldrey
  • Jackie Curtis

Crew

Written and Directed by Dušan Makavejev
Cinematography Aleksandar Petković, Predrag Popović
Editing Ivanka Vukasović
Music Bojana Makavejev

Produced by

Neoplanta

Telepool

Dušan Makavejev

Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (today Serbia) in 1932. He studied Psychology and Film Directing. Many of his works belong to the Yugoslavian movement “Novi Film” (aka “Black Wave”). Several of his films were censored because of their political and sexual themes. In 1973, he left Yugoslavia and subsequently taught at various universities in the USA. He died in 2019.

Filmography

1955 Pečat (The Seal); 5 min. 1957 Antonijevorazbi-jeno ogledalo; 5 min. 1958 Spomenicima ne treba verovati (I Don’t Believe in Monuments); 4 min. · Slikovnica pčelava (Beekeeper’s Scrapbook); 9 min. · Prokleti praznik (Damned Holiday); 10 min. · Kosnice pune smijeka; 8 min. · Boje sanjaju (Colors Are Dreaming); 8 min. 1959 Sto je radnicki savjet? (What Is a Workers Council?); 11 min. 1961 Pedagoska bajka; 11 min. · Eci, pec, pec; 10 min. · Osmjek 61 (Smile 61); 15 min. 1962 Ljepotica 62 (Miss Beauty 62); 14 min. · Film o knjizi A.B.C. (About a Book); 14 min. · Parada; 11 min. · Dole plotovi (Down With the Fences); 11 min. 1964 Nova doma-ca životinj (New Domestic Animal); 10 min. · Nova igračka (New Toy); 15 min. 1965 Čovek nije tica (Man Is Not a Bird / Der Mensch ist kein Vogel); 81 min. 1967 Ljubavni slučaj ili tragedija službenice (Love Affair / Ein Liebesfall); 76 min., Retrospective 2002 1968 Nevinost bez zaštite (Innocence Unprotected / Unschuld ohne Schutz); 75 min., Competition 1968 1974 Sweet Movie; 98 min. 1981 Montenegro (Die Ballade von Lucy Jordan); 96 min. 1985 The Coca-Cola Kid (Coca Cola Kid); 98 min. 1988 Manifesto; 96 min. 1993 Gorilla Bathes at Noon; 83 min., Competition (out of competition) 1993 1994 Rupa u duši (Hole in the Soul, autobiographical documentary); 52 min. 1996 Danske piger viser alt (Danish Girls Show Everything); 93 min.

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020