Подземље
"ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A COUNTRY"
Director: Emir Kusturica
Cast: Predrag 'Miki' Manojlović, Lazar Ristovski, Mirjana Joković, Slavko Štimac, Ernst Stötzner
Underground — Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
A war is no war until the brother kills his brother.
Context
Spoken by Marko, highlighting the fratricidal nature of the conflict that destroys the country.
Meaning
Encapsulates the film's tragic view of the Yugoslav conflict as a civil war where intimate bonds are severed by political hatred.
Bila jednom jedna zemlja. (Once upon a time, there was a country.)
Context
The closing narration delivered directly to the camera as the island floats away.
Meaning
Frames the entire film as a fairy tale or a myth, suggesting that Yugoslavia has ceased to exist in reality and now lives only in memory and story.
There is no truth, only your conviction that what you say is the truth.
Context
Marko explaining his philosophy, justifying his manipulation of the people in the cellar.
Meaning
Summarizes the film's postmodern take on history—that history is written by the victors and those who can maintain the most convincing lie.
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