• What was the inspiration for the film?

I first heard about Tomo Buzov from a newspaper article published on the 20th anniversary of the Štrpci massacre. Stories of one person’s resistance against terror are always inspiring, but this one was so special that I felt it deserved to be made into a film. Firstly, because hardly anyone has heard of Tomo Buzov, and I believe his heroic act deserves to be remembered. Secondly, because the situation depicted in the film is universal, and even though it takes place 30 years ago in Bosnia, I believe contemporary viewers can relate to it, no matter where they come from.

• How did you use lighting to reflect the mood, atmosphere and emotional weight of the film.

The film begins with a train emerging from a tunnel and ends with it entering another one. It starts with coming out of the darkness and ends with re-entering it, but I hope that this final darkness holds a different meaning for the viewer. Throughout the film, lighting plays a crucial role in creating the atmosphere. At one point, the passengers in the compartment pull down the curtain on the door, plunging into semi-darkness, and we learn about the events on the train only through the play of shadows on the curtain.

• How did you approach framing and camera movement to emphasise the claustrophobia and tension in the train?

We filmed on a real train, and every camera movement posed a significant challenge. I definitely didn’t want to make a film with just static shots; I wanted the camera to move so that viewers would feel like they were one of the passengers on the train. I also wanted each beat of the script to have a distinct movement. In the director of photography, Gregor Božič, I found an excellent collaborator who managed to translate all my ideas onto the screen. The most challenging and crucial shots were the first and the last one. In the opening shot, the camera follows the main character, who is suddenly awakened from sleep by the abrupt stop of the train, and who, together with the audience, discovers why the train has stopped. The shot begins as a close-up of our protagonist, then moves through the train corridor, revealing the entire space, and ends with a wide shot of the exterior. This extremely complex shot sets up the whole dramatic situation within the first two minutes and immediately creates a sense of tension. I could go into detail about the other shots as well, but I think that might spoil the experience for future viewers.

• The train serves as both a metaphorical and literal vehicle for the story – how did you use the setting to reflect themes of entrapment, fear and courage?

For me, the train in the film carries strong metaphorical significance. The passengers on our film’s train find themselves in a situation they never wanted, yet couldn’t escape. They have very little time to decide what to do, and their decision, whatever it may be, will critically shape the rest of their lives. It’s a terrifying situation, but within it, we can recognize many other life situations that any of us might find ourselves in. The train becomes a metaphor for fate.

• What was your reaction when you found out that your film had won the Short Film Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival?

You find out that you’ve won an award at Cannes the moment they announce your name on stage, so I didn’t have much time to think. I had to steady my trembling legs, walk up to the stage, fake some confidence, and deliver a coherent speech in front of some of my film idols. A few months have passed since then, and it all still feels pretty surreal, even a bit funny. It never even crossed my mind that I would ever get anywhere near the Palme d’Or.

• How did it feel for the film to be present on such an international stage? What impact do you think it has had on both the film’s trajectory and also your career?

I make films for the audience, and the most important thing for me is that as many people as possible get to see them. Whenever I make films, I always think first and foremost about the local, Croatian audience, because I believe that for authors from small countries it’s crucial to address topics that are locally significant. If we don’t make these films, nobody will. But I also strive to make these films work on multiple levels, so they are understandable to an international audience as well, and I’m incredibly glad we managed to achieve that with this film. Up until now, I’ve primarily worked on documentaries, with two feature-length documentaries in my filmography, but this success has steered me towards narrative filmmaking.

• Do you feel like earning nominations and wins from International Film Festivals contributes heavily to awareness of the historical events the film portrays? Where can viewers learn more?

This is the first Palme d’Or for Croatia, and that has sparked a lot of interest from regional media. In Croatia and the countries of the former Yugoslavia, there’s hardly a media outlet that hasn’t written about the film’s success, and by extension, about Tomo Buzov. I believe that thanks to our film, the memory of Tomo Buzov and his heroism will be preserved for the next generation. There are many articles online about this entire tragic event, and a good starting point might be the Wikipedia page on Tomo Buzov.

• The film ends before showing the shootings, why is this?

In real life, the public was left in the dark for a long time about the fate of the kidnapped train passengers. Although we now know that all the kidnapped passengers were killed shortly after their abduction, their families held on to the hope that the hostages would return alive for months. The film aimed to capture that sense of uncertainty and tension. Another reason is that depicting the killings would not fit into the subtle, deliberately subdued atmosphere of the film at all.

• What role did the cinematography play in enhancing the themes of the film?

In the film, every role is crucial; there are no insignificant people. However, during the preparation of this film, two individuals were particularly important to me. The first was the lead actor; my first and only choice was Goran Bogdan, and I honestly don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t agreed. The second person was the director of photography. I hadn’t worked with Gregor before, and we didn’t even know each other, but I had heard many great things about him. We clicked right away; our first conversation lasted over an hour. The camera movements, as well as the choice of lenses, were very limited on the train, and we had to make the most of the modest repertoire of cinematic tools that were available to us.

• Talk us through some of the key decisions you made in terms of pacing and structure to keep the audience emotionally engaged throughout the short format

I believe that in a short film, there’s no time for a first act. The best films are the ones that throw you straight into the action, and that’s exactly how we started this one. There’s no introduction; from the very first second, the audience has to find their bearings, just like the passengers on the real train had no introduction to what was about to happen. That’s precisely the feeling we wanted to convey.

We also built the entire film around a single surprise, which I don’t want to reveal here. Those who have seen the film know what I’m talking about, and for those who haven’t, it’s better that they go in without knowing.

The film is characterized by a muted atmosphere; the more the tension rises, the quieter and more restrained the actors become. This choice actually increases the sense of tension. I made this decision while working with the actors—the script was initially a bit louder and more expressive. But when you’re working with top-notch actors like Alexis Manenti, Dragan Mićanović, Goran Bogdan, and Silvio Mumelaš, they bring so much contained tension that you can afford to make everything less explicit.

• Why did you choose not to overtly show the violence of the massacre?

This film explores the reaction of witnesses to violence that isn’t directly targeted at them. It is, above all, a psychological drama. We concluded that the entire situation is much more impactful without explicit scenes of violence, leaving everything to the viewers’ imagination and interpretation.