Dara in Jasenovac


Dara in Jasenovac is an upcoming Serbian historical drama film directed by Predrag Antonijević. Based on the testimonies of survivors, it is the first feature film that deals with war crimes and atrocities that took place at the World War Two Jasenovac concentration camp, which was part of the Holocaust in Croatia and the wider Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia.
The movie was set to premiere in early 2020, commemorating 75 years since the escape of the remaining prisoners from the camp. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the premiere was postponed to 22 October 2020.

Plot

After the Axis-led Kozara Offensive the majority of local Serb population ends up in Ustaše concentration camps.
With no information about whereabouts of her father, twelve-year-old Dara and her mother and two brothers end up in Jasenovac. Her mother and older brother get killed by Ustaše. Dara makes it her personal mission and goal to insure the survival of her younger brother.

Cast

An old brickyard located in the village of Kolut near Sombor was reconstructed and turned into a camp by production designer Goran Joksimović. The second part of the movie was shot in Bela Crkva.
Children from Kozarska Dubica were chosen to portrait numerous children who were imprisoned in the camp. A number of actors from Republika Srpska took part in the project, joined by their colleagues from Serbia.
Dara in Jasenovac was supported by Ministry of Culture and Information and Film Center Serbia.