The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent (2024) — Oscar-nominated live-action short film by Nebojša Slijepčević. A gripping story of courage and conviction.
🚆 The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent (2024) — Live Action Short Film by Nebojša Slijepčević
A taut, 13‑minute moral lightning bolt, The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent (Čovjek koji nije mogao šutjeti) distills a real act of courage from the Bosnian War into a claustrophobic, nerve‑shredding train‑car drama. Written and directed by Nebojša Slijepčević, the film asks a question that echoes far beyond its 1993 setting: When violence unfolds in front of you — and you’re not the target — do you speak up?
🧭 Overview
- Genre: Drama / Historical / War
- Director & Writer: Nebojša Slijepčević
- Based on: Priča o Tomislavu Buzovu by Boris Dežulović
- Producers: Danijel Pek · Katarina Prpić · Noëlle Levenez · Katya Trichkova · Boštjan Virc
- Cast:
- Dragan Mićanović as Tomo Buzov
- Goran Bogdan as Dragan
- Alexis Manenti as Commander
- Silvio Mumelaš as Milan
- Cinematography: Gregor Božič 🎥
- Editing: Tomislav Stojanović
- Production companies: Antitalent Produkcija · Les Films Norfolk · Contrast Films · Studio Virc
- Runtime: 13 minutes
- Languages: Croatian · Serbian (with English/French subtitles)
- Premiere: May 2024 — Cannes Film Festival 🎬
- Accolades:
- 🏆 Winner — Palme d’Or for Best Short Film (Cannes 2024)
- 🏆 Winner — European Short Film, European Film Awards 2024
- 🏆 César nomination
- 🏆 Oscar nomination for Best Live Action Short Film (97th Academy Awards)
- First Croatian film ever nominated for an Oscar since independence
Watch the short film trailer:
📖 Story in Brief
February 27, 1993. A passenger train from Belgrade to Bar is halted in Bosnia by the Serbian White Eagles paramilitary group. Soldiers board, demanding IDs and pulling Muslim passengers from their seats.
In one carriage, Tomo Buzov, a middle‑aged Croat and former Yugoslav Army officer, watches as fear grips the compartment. Among the passengers is Milan, a teenage boy without papers, who whispers to Tomo that he’ll be taken. Tomo reassures him — but when the commander arrives, the reality is brutal.
- The Confrontation: Tomo stands, the only one out of 500 passengers to challenge the armed men.
- The Stakes: His defiance is met with threats, but he refuses to sit down.
- The Cost: Tomo is taken off the train alongside the others. History tells us what happened next — the Štrpci massacre, where 20 civilians were murdered.
The film ends not with gore, but with the unbearable silence of those left behind.
🎨 Creative DNA & Style
- Single‑location tension: The entire drama unfolds inside one train carriage, amplifying claustrophobia.
- Stripped‑down realism: No flashbacks, no exposition — just the moment of moral choice.
- Muted palette: Gregor Božič’s cinematography uses winter light and cold tones to mirror the emotional chill.
- Sound as dread: The muffled shouts from other cars, the metallic clank of weapons, the hum of the stopped train.
- Universal framing: While rooted in a specific atrocity, the film avoids heavy historical markers, making it feel disturbingly contemporary.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
Pros
- 🎯 Moral clarity: A rare war film about the bystander’s choice, not the battlefield.
- 🎭 Powerful performances: Dragan Mićanović’s quiet resolve is unforgettable.
- 🎥 Tight craft: Every frame and sound cue serves the tension.
- 🏆 Global recognition: Cannes, Oscars, and European Film Awards.
Cons
- ⏳ Short runtime: Leaves you wanting more about Tomo’s life before this moment.
- 🌀 Emotional weight: The true‑story ending hits hard and offers no comfort.
🌟 Themes & Resonance
- Courage vs. survival: The cost of speaking out when silence is safer.
- Witness responsibility: The moral burden of those who see violence but aren’t its target.
- History repeating: How atrocities echo in modern conflicts.
- The power of one: Even a single voice can break the silence — and change the story others tell.
👥 Who Is It For?
- History buffs: Those interested in the Balkan conflicts and untold acts of resistance.
- Human rights advocates: A cinematic case study in moral courage.
- Festival audiences: Lovers of tightly crafted, high‑stakes short films.
💡 Humanized Takeaway
The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent 2024 short film is not about winning — it’s about refusing to lose your humanity. Slijepčević doesn’t romanticize Tomo Buzov’s stand; he shows it for what it was: a choice made in seconds, with everything at stake, and no guarantee of survival. It’s a reminder that history is shaped not only by those who commit violence, but by those who dare to oppose it.
🔍 Find More & Watch
- Official film site — synopsis, screenings, and director’s statement.
- IMDb page — full cast, crew, and reviews.
- Wikipedia entry — historical context and award history.