The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

Directed by: Nebojša Slijepčević

Principal Cast: Goran Bogdan, Alexis Manenti, Dragan Mićanović, Silvio Mumelaš

Country: Croatia, Bulgaria, France, Slovenia

Time: 13:00

Synopsis: Bosnia, 1993. Paramilitary forces stop a train in an ethnic cleansing operation. Only one man out of 500 passengers dares to stand up to them. A true story and winner of the 2024 Palme D'Or at Cannes.

Tomo Buzov was a hero. How did his story find its way to you?

I learned about Tomo Buzov from a newspaper article written on the anniversary of the horrific war crime in which he and 19 others were killed. Tomo Buzov had already been somewhat forgotten, and I am glad that the film will help bring that tragic yet inspiring story of his heroism to a wide audience. The reason we decided to adapt this event into a film is that we recognized the story, despite taking place thirty years ago, carries a universal dilemma that resonates with today's viewers, even those unfamiliar with the war in the former Yugoslavia.

You give “special thanks” to Darko Buzov, Tomo's son in the credits. How involved was he with the making of this film and in what ways?

The first thing I did, even before starting to write a script, was to ask Darko for his permission to make a film about his father. I didn't know him personally, but I found his contact online, wrote him an email, and explained what we intended to do. It was very important for me to get his approval - without it, I would not have made the film. Fortunately, Darko was very generous and offered his help with anything we needed. We exchanged several emails, and I asked him all kinds of questions about his father and the tragic event on the train.

While writing the script, I also obtained the transcripts of the trial for one of the killers from the train. I read more than 1000 pages of the depositions from the passengers who witnessed the crime. The script is based on these depositions, the dialogues and characters are very close to the reality. The film's duration is approximately the same as the real event.

Darko Buzov said that many people have called his father's actions heroic but they were actually “the actions of a parent, nothing more; at that moment he reacted like the father of a son”. How much did that quote play its role when directing and casting Dragan Mićanović, who plays Tomo in the film?

Dragan and I discussed Tomo's motivation extensively. Of course, it would have been completely wrong, even in poor taste, for Dragan to portray Tomo with any kind of heroic zeal. His Tomo is a determined man who cannot tolerate injustice and, as an experienced soldier, is confident enough to believe that he can somehow turn the situation to his advantage. However, I was far more interested in the psychology of the other passengers - the ones who silently watched as soldiers led their fellow travelers to their deaths. I would probably have acted the same way if I had been on that train; I likely would have looked down at the tips of my shoes out of fear for my own life. I believe the vast majority of people who will watch the film would have done the same. After all, if that weren't the case, perhaps today's world would look different.

This short film is sure to be seen by a many people throughout the world over the next twelve months, most who have never heard of Tomo Buzov. What message do you hope they take away after seeing this film?

This film poses a universal question that each of us must confront at some point in our lives: what will we do when we witness a violent act that isn't directed at us? Will we intervene and risk our safety, or will we stay silent and mind our own business? And how will we live with our choice? You don't have to be in a war situation to face this difficult decision.