Freedom from Despair

Former Yugoslavia: Reconciliation in sight?

25m

Former Yugoslavia: Reconciliation in sight?

2023•25m

Thirty years after the Yugoslav Wars, Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia explore the potential for reconciliation, inspired by the Franco-German model.

2023

20m

How Serbia Turned Against Milosevic

2016•20m

Serbia turns against Milosevic in 1999 as economic sanctions devastate the nation.

How Serbia Turned Against Milosevic

2016

Rise, Rule, and Ruin: The Collapse of Yugoslavia

Rise, Rule, and Ruin: The Collapse of Yugoslavia

The disintegration of Yugoslavia, shaped by centuries of diverse cultures and ethnic tensions, escalated into chaos following Tito's death in the 1990s.

Balkans in Flames: How Yugoslavia Tore Itself Apart

Balkans in Flames: How Yugoslavia Tore Itself Apart

In 1990, Yugoslavia's first free elections catalyzed the rise of nationalism, leading to civil war, mass expulsions, and atrocities in Croatia and Bosnia.

Building a Revolution: Yugoslavia's Bold Experiment

50m

Building a Revolution: Yugoslavia's Bold Experiment

2026•50m

In Yugoslavia, modernist architecture emerged as a reflection of socialist ideals, showcasing ambitious projects like the Workers' University in Zagreb and the D-0 ARK bunker.

The Boy Who Rushed (Missing Person Documentary)

The Boy Who Rushed (Missing Person Documentary)

2017•52m

In 1991, during the war in Croatia, a sister searches for her brother Ivan, a traffic policeman who went missing near Vukovar amidst escalating conflict.

2017

1h37m

1989 - The fall of Communism

2025•1h37m

More than 30,000 East Germans fled to the West in the late 1980s, prompting massive uprisings and significant political changes in Eastern Europe.

1989 - The fall of Communism

Amazing Quest: Stories from Croatia

Amazing Quest: Stories from Croatia

2023•52m

Goran Safarek conducts a bird count of gray herons and night herons in Kopački rit Park, a vast wetland sanctuary in eastern Croatia.

2023

Explore Freedom from Despair

Cast & Crew Deep Dive FAQ

Where else to watch

2h5m

The Weight of Chains

2010•2h5m•★7.3TMDB

Western powers, including the U.S. and NATO, are argued to have orchestrated the breakup of Yugoslavia, as explored through historical events and interviews.

The Weight of Chains

2010

1h40m

Cinema Komunisto

2010•1h40m•★7.1TMDB

Josip Broz Tito's leadership shaped Yugoslav cinema from the 1940s to the 1980s, using film to craft national identity and political narratives.

Cinema Komunisto

2010

49m

Home of the Resistance

2018•49m•★6.0TMDB

In 1974, communist authorities opened a memorial in Kumrovec to honor World War II resistance fighters, which has remained closed since 1991.

Home of the Resistance

2018

1h22m

The Serbian Lawyer

2014•1h22m•★7.0TMDB

A decade after fleeing Serbia, Marko returns to defend individuals he once opposed, including war criminal Radovan Karadzic.

The Serbian Lawyer

2014

Browse more like this

2h32m

The Yugoslav Wars: How a Nation Destroyed Itself

2025•2h32m

More than 100,000 people lost their lives during the 10 years of war in Yugoslavia that followed the death of dictator Josip Broz Tito.

The Yugoslav Wars: How a Nation Destroyed Itself

Rise, Rule, and Ruin: The Collapse of Yugoslavia

Rise, Rule, and Ruin: The Collapse of Yugoslavia

The disintegration of Yugoslavia, shaped by centuries of diverse cultures and ethnic tensions, escalated into chaos following Tito's death in the 1990s.

Balkans in Flames: How Yugoslavia Tore Itself Apart

Balkans in Flames: How Yugoslavia Tore Itself Apart

In 1990, Yugoslavia's first free elections catalyzed the rise of nationalism, leading to civil war, mass expulsions, and atrocities in Croatia and Bosnia.

Building a Revolution: Yugoslavia's Bold Experiment

50m

Building a Revolution: Yugoslavia's Bold Experiment

2026•50m

In Yugoslavia, modernist architecture emerged as a reflection of socialist ideals, showcasing ambitious projects like the Workers' University in Zagreb and the D-0 ARK bunker.

1989 - The fall of Communism

1h37m

1989 - The fall of Communism

2025•1h37m

More than 30,000 East Germans fled to the West in the late 1980s, prompting massive uprisings and significant political changes in Eastern Europe.