Croatian Film Expert on Kusturica Joining Goodwill Ambassadors of Abkhazia

Interview

Renowned director Emir Kusturica has joined the “Goodwill Ambassadors of Abkhazia,” a movement and organization funded by the Abkhaz diaspora in Moscow. “Goodwill Ambassadors of Abkhazia” recently issued a call that more international attention be paid to the lamentable state of historical and cultural heritage, all the while pinning the blame on the Georgian state and accusing it of “cultural vandalism” in Abkhazia. Kusturica, himself a UN goodwill ambassador, has voiced his support of the cause. It’s not the first time Kusturica has voiced his support for Georgia’s breakaway regions: he previously said he considers them independent countries, had visited both, and at one point it was even rumored he’d do a Kremlin-funded movie about the events of 2008 August War. So, what’s the real worth and weight of Kusturica’s latest curtsy towards Moscow and can it be considered a victory of so-called Abkhazian diplomacy? That’s what we asked Croatian journalist and film expert, Bernard Karakas.

Kusturica, Goodwill Ambassador of Abkhazia. Is it a politically motivated statement or a genuine desire to help Abkhazians?

Basically, Kusturica is not interested either in Georgia or Abkhazia. At this moment, he is doing the same thing he has for the last 25 years: he’s sucking up to Russians and Serbians. Kusturica is ready to do whatever Russians want him to do or whatever Russians would like to see from his side. He lost his credibility, politically and morally speaking, in the last 25 years during the “divorce” of ex-Yugoslavia. Kusturica was born in Sarajevo, he is a Muslim. He was a prominent member of the Sarajevo cultural scene but when siege of Sarajevo started he, being a Muslim, proclaimed himself a Serb, even changing his name. He is not Emir Kusturica anymore but Nemanya Kusturica. During the war, he was saying that Muslims must be expelled from Sarajevo. He lost his moral credibility not only in Croatia and Bosnia, but also in this part of Europe. I mean, the rest of the world knows him as a talented director, which he definitely is. But morally? He is a non-entity.

But he’s world-renowned. What kind of impact can his statements have on the rest of the world that doesn’t know him or the Caucasus region as well as you do?

Not too much since the world also knows his controversial statements. You have to bear in mind that Kusturica gives rock concerts and calls out Serbian war criminals in an apologetic way. Karadjic and Mladich, two Serbian war criminals who committed numerous atrocities in Bosnia during the war, who are at this moment in front of Le Hague tribunal, were named as heroes by Kusturica.

Movie directors usually express their political views through their movies. Why is Kusturica different?

The point is that he materialized and monetized his ideas and public speeches. In Serbia, he is considered one of the greatest artists and his projects are funded without questions asked. I’m talking about projects, not movies. He demanded Serbia build him two towns and they dully obliged, in which he owns hotels, restaurants, cinemas and so on. He says that those towns are kind of cultural, ethnic centers, but, basically, he is earning a lot of money from it. Believe me, he has capitalized on his behavior in last 25 years. No one in Serbia questions his words. They view him only as a great movie director. The same with Russians. He tells them what they want to hear.

There was talk about Kusturica’s concert being planned this autumn in Tbilisi. After public outcry, it was postponed. What’s your position – should we let him do a concert here?

I don’t think you should let him have a concert. If Official Tbilisi decides to allow the concert, Georgian citizens should boycott it. Let him to bring in equipment, staff and let him experience financial loss. Let no one buy a ticket.

But then again, there are those who say we shouldn’t mix arts and politics…

Well, Kusturica was the first to do so and he should suffer the consequences of it. He was in South Ossetia, he was the one making political statements. Being a good, or even great movie director does not make you a moral person, nor does it make you a political expert, something Kusturica seems oblivious of.

Vazha Tavberidze