Synopsis

 Oh dreary rock, do you remember the Pannonian Sea?

“Castramentation - the art of building fortified constructions.”

Narrator

Stone cannot burn, but it does remember. The Petrovaradin Fortress, which is more than three centuries old, was being built for almost a hundred years. During those years, it is said that the most valuable currency in the area were eggs. Instead of a dish, they ended up in the mortar.

On this location, no one has ever graduated in siegecraft, however… History proved that the Petrovaradin fortification is an excellent example of an abortive investment. If it had at least once served its military purpose, we would not have admired it to such a high degree, perhaps we could not have loved it, because maybe it would not have existed anymore. What purpose did these passageways serve for lack of war? It is well-known that they were the training grounds of one of the biggest mine systems in the world. Were down there storerooms, dungeons, places for some dark amusement (of the nobility), experimental military laboratories, a gathering place of secret knight orders or something totally different? Knowing one`s way in these underground passages, regulated by the secret code of `star-shaped junctions`. The underground world of this military shrine raises plenty of questions. There are questions, however, that are rather not to be insisted on and answers which we shall never know. Still, certain kinds of knowledge can make us better. Let us find them.

Planet Fortress. Quietly but persistently reminds us that there is no future without a past. Vice versa. The fortress means security. Security is peace. Peace is salvation. Salvation is love. Whisper the `Officers` Beach`, recites the lower town, whistle the underground passages, echo the wells, tell the walls, plays “the drunken clock”, sings the Fortress.

Festung

directors: Dragan Stojmenović, Szilárd Antal
film productions: Ekologija Nauka Umetnost – ENU/ Ecology Science Art - ESA

narrator: Aleksa Ilić
director of photography: Jovan Milinov -Toba
camera operators: Jovan Milinov -Toba, Dragan Stojmenović, Aleksandar Ramadanović
montage: Dragan Stojmenović
associate on montage: Branislav Klašnja
text: Slavko Matić, Szilárd Antal, Dragan Stojmenović
music: gitara - Dragan Stojmenović, bas, bubanj - Szilárd Antal
sound effects: Antonije Pušić alias Rambo Amadeus
sound desing: Relja Svilar
mastering and color correction: Maša Badalić
expert consultant of the project: Siniša Bokan
professional consultants: akademik SAIN-a Veljko Milković, arheolog kustos Radovan Bunardžić
drone operators: Goran Avramović, Dragan Stojmenović
aeronaut: Srđan Srdić
professional support: Vanja Hovan, Alen Panjković
graphics and design posters: Atila Kapitanj
photographer: Feđa Kiselički

Reviews

Screenings