A Serbian Film is still one of the most banned, censored, and controversial films ever released 15 years on. It is banned in 46 countries, and after it was screened at the Sitges Film Festival in 2010, its director was charged with exhibiting child pornography, which was later dropped. At Frightfest in London for its UK premiere, organisers were forced to scrap its showing after the BBFC and Westminster council insisted that a heavily cut version be shown. Director Srdjan Spasojevic has never made a feature film since, and A Serbian Film still sparks furious debate globally. But if you think you know the full story about the notorious horror film, think again.
Hosting its world premiere at FrightFest 2025, A Serbian Documentary, directed by Unearthed Films' Stephen Biro, takes viewers behind the scenes of the controversial flick, exploring everything from how Serbia's tumultuous, war-torn history inspired the narrative to the ingenious effects that brought the blood and guts to life. With insight from Spasojevic as well as writer Aleksandar Radivojevic, cinematographer Nemanja Jovanov, and cast members including Srdjan ‘Zika' Todorovic, Sergej Trifunovic, and Slobodan Bestic, viewers are taken into what they might be surprised to see is one of the most happy-go-lucky horror productions, with a cast and crew considered family. From the inception of A Serbian Film through production and its troubled release and legacy, A Serbian Documentary contains unseen footage, storyboards, and interviews exploring the often shunned horror.
A Serbian Film is often dismissed as being shocking for the sake of it, but Spasojevic wastes no time explaining that he and Radivojevic never anticipated the backlash they would receive, instead challenging themselves to make a film that stood against censorship in the Serbian film scene and reflected the rage the country felt navigating war and the end of communism. As Spasojevic explained the infamous baby scene in relation to its cultural context – “In Serbia, they fuck you when you're born, they fuck you when you're alive, and they fuck you when you're dead, because you always owe somebody.” For those unfamiliar with the history and political landscape of Serbia, it offers key context to the brutality and warped humour of A Serbian Film, which its creators consider a satire holding a mirror up to the safe, sanitised drama productions the country is known for.
A Serbian Documentary humanises the infamous film, shining a light on the creatives behind the scenes and the sheer amount of passion and hard work that went into creating it, rather than focusing on the backlash most viewers will already be aware of. It speaks to the actors about what drove them to take on their roles – with Trifunovic even admitting he said yes before reading the script – with all of them stating how the boldness of its premise enticed them. A Serbian Film's child actors – Luka Mijatovic and Andela Nenadovic – shine a much-needed light on the attentiveness they received while filming, smashing the idea that there was ever a moment they were mistreated on set. That is not to say there were no hardships on set, with the cast explaining how they often had to endure “up to 50” takes to get the perfect shot, as well as the emotional toll of such graphic content.
The documentary explores the film's most notorious moments, explaining that no one was ever “drooling” over the gore and gratuitous sex and violence, but rather speaks to how capitalistic and powerful countries treat those in third-world countries. The thought and care shown on set starkly contrast to the outrage shown throughout the documentary, from shocked reviews to news footage explaining its cancelled FrightFest premiere. The latter is what many people going into A Serbian Documentary will know about the film, but Biro's release works to demystify A Serbian Film and show it for what it is – a thoughtful piece of art that, while transgressive and boundary-pushing, has an important and prevalent message. An essential watch for film fans, A Serbian Documentary is a thoughtful, detailed, and thoroughly gripping exploration of one of the world's most misunderstood films.
A Serbian Documentary had its world premiere at FrightFest 2025 on 22 August
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