The opening sequences of the movie made me think that I might be in for a real treat. Cinematography and music in the movie are excellent and the general idea of the movie is worthwhile and very interesting.
The story revolves around the only conversation that took place between the 2 important figures in Croatian history: communist dictator Tito and Catholic cardinal Stepinac who was wrongfully imprisoned and eventually gradually poisoned by Tito. Communists led by Tito replaced one totalitarianism with another one and in the process tried to squash Croatian dream of independence and freedom. They tried for 50 years, killed, imprisoned and chased away hundreds of thousands of Croatians and eventually they failed. Cardinal Stepinac represents Croatian backbone during the time under communism.
The main problem with the movie is that Stepinac and Tito are falsely portrayed: Tito as refined and intelligent and Stepinac as insecure and doubtful. This is completely opposite of what they were like. Intellectually, Stepinac was undoubtedly superior to Tito. Anyone who read at least something of what these 2 people wrote and spoke knows this. Apparently, the writer/director Dominik Sedlar does not because Tito dominates the conversation intellectually. I hope it is only ignorance but I think it is not because even the moral superiority of cardinal Stepinac is not clear from the conversation.
Another big problem is the fabricated love story that simply does not belong here and is actually the main vehicle of portraying Stepinac as unsecure even about choosing to accept God's calling to his priesthood. This could not be further from the truth and it is actually quite scandalous particularly in the way it was presented. Imagine a wife of some historical person who was imprisoned and poisoned for her love watching a movie where her husband was falsely presented as if he was actually maybe in love with his ex girlfriend. Well, this is a far worse case than that because there are so many people that Stepinac gave his life for out of his wholehearted love of God. He did so knowingly, peacefully and courageously. This movie shamefully tries to question this instead of portraying it as heroically as it really was.
