Songe d'une nuit d'hiver

Original title: San zimske noci

2004
1h 35m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

A simple story of an ex-convict who comes home after 10 years, only to find two squatters in the form of a woman and her autistic daughter. Though Lazar initially plans to kick out Jasna and... Read allA simple story of an ex-convict who comes home after 10 years, only to find two squatters in the form of a woman and her autistic daughter. Though Lazar initially plans to kick out Jasna and Jovana, he changes his mind after seeing the squalid conditions of the shelter they are t... Read allA simple story of an ex-convict who comes home after 10 years, only to find two squatters in the form of a woman and her autistic daughter. Though Lazar initially plans to kick out Jasna and Jovana, he changes his mind after seeing the squalid conditions of the shelter they are to move into. It is an allegory of the Balkan wars. When first released in Serbia, it cause... Read all

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

463

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 9 wins & 1 nomination total

Photos2

User reviews6

6.8463

Featured reviews

8koenjer

Beautifully shocking

Normally I am hesitating to give other interpretations to a movie than ones that are very clear. While watching this movie you should not be hesitant to do so, as:

According to the director (source: introduction to the movie by him at the Rotterdam Film Festival) the autism of the girl who is one of the main characters can be seen as a metaphor for the state in which the Balkan nations are left after the wars in the 1990's.

It took me quite some time to recover from the confusion this movie left me in (alike the confusion left in the Balkan countries after the wars?). Now, after recovery I think it was a very beautifully shocking movie.

7miki-26

Good but depressing movie with excellent role of Lazar Ristovski

Just saw this movie on the Seattle film festival. It is good movie, but at moments painful to watch. Excellent role of Lazar Ristovski, well done script about girl suffering from autism.

Young girl and her mom are refugees and they come to Lazar's house while he's in prison. After 10 years he gets back to his hometown and finds them in his apartment. At first, they leave the place, but he brings them back and starts his new life with them. Their relationship evolves and he falls in love with her. At the same time he accepts young girl as his own kid. Both of them try their best to help her and make her life more joyful.

This part of movie brings hope to a new family, but again life takes new turn. It's definitely worth watching but prepare to be depressed after that.

10westwind1234

autism versus war

"A Midwinter Nights Dream" establishes a relation between autism and being in war, especially in respect to a mindset of killing or living in (post-)war situations, where handicapped self-reflection is common, due to brutal complexity of daily life. The film offers with its brilliant vision a confronting and honest understanding in the essence and motivation of possibly any war.

But to interpret the story as an attempt to insult the autist, might be rather twisted, limited and an example in this sense. I'm sorry, don't take it personally.

Yours, Candide

4marinicak

Tragic stories

I will not talk about the storyline of the film. Generally film has a point in the sense of understanding autism and the difficulties people experience with such children. And this is really showed in the realistic and emotional way. However, the story that follows it is too painful to watch. Rather than that, I will talk about the emotions I felt while watching it. First you have sadness and empathy for people's tragic destinies. Then there is a glimpse of optimism and hope. Sadness is, however, still present. Then you feel disgust and anger and at the end you don't know whether to be depressed or angry because of the fact you have watched this movie. Ending is totally naive and unnecessarily tragic.