In a post-WWII Yugoslavia still under Stalinist rule in the 1950s, six-year-old Malik is oblivious as to why his father, Mehmed, has suddenly disappeared. In truth, Mehmed has been sent to a labor camp as punishment for acts of sexual indiscretion involving young girls. Malik's mother, Senija, however, has no answers, and the family must cope in the father's absence.
| Tagline | |
| Release Date: | Jan 15, 1985 |
| Genres: | Drama |
| Production Company: | Forum Sarajevo, Centar film, Sutjeska Film |
| Production Countries: | Yugoslavia |
| Casts: | Moreno de Bartoli, Predrag 'Miki' Manojlović, Mirjana Karanović, Mustafa Nadarević, Mira Furlan, Predrag Laković, Pavle Vuisić, Slobodan Aligrudić, Eva Ras, Aco Gjorčev, Emir Hadžihafizbegović |
| Status: | Released |
| Budget: | $0 |
| Revenue: | 0 |
Emir Kusturica's When Father Was Away on Business is a courageous, funny, and deeply moving film that blends comedy, family drama, and political realism. The title refers to the lie a family tells a six-year-old boy to explain his father's imprisonment in a labor camp for a thoughtless remark that offended Communist officials. It won the Palme d'Or at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film.
