Yugoslav filmmaker Dušan Makavejev was a radical who changed the film landscape of the 60s and 70s. His work is characterised by a freedom of form, the breaking of political and sexual taboos, and anti-narratives, often with surrealist and documentary elements.

“Man Is Not a Bird” is a daring debut feature film by Makavejev who was previously known for short films and documentaries. It tells of the love lives of two not-so-heroic men working in a copper factory. The action involves a polluted mining town, hypnosis, a bar brawl, a turbo-engine, and a Beethoven concert. The main storyline focuses on the love affair between Jan Rudinski (Janez Vrhovec), an engineer sent to the town, and Rajka (Milena Dravić), a young hairdresser.

The film was awarded at the Pula Film Festival and Vrhovec won the Silver Arena Best Actor Award.

Kati Vuks