‘Genosse Tito, Ich Erbe’ [Comrade Tito, I Inherit], Olga Kosanović’s short film where an approach to history becomes part of one’s own biography

Genosse Tito, Ich Erbe [Comrade Tito, I Inherit], the latest short film by Olga Kosanović reaches the big screen at the Valladolid International Film Festival. The film, which is part of the Time of History section, was presented today Friday 29th October by its director.

The Austrian filmmaker’s production focuses on a mountainside, an orchard and a house with idyllic images of southern Serbia. Three generations under the roof of a house that is preparing to change owners. Each of them is the bearer of their own heritage, which is also part of the move. In itself, the work is an approach to history that becomes part of one’s own biography. Home is a complex place, inheriting can be a burden and Tito becomes a symbol of something that was.

“It all started with my grandfather, because he wanted to explain to me how the house worked so that I would know what to do when he passed away,” said the director. She added that this was a recurring request, so Kosanović decided to take her camera with her one summer in order to “have the explanation recorded instead of written down” The idea for the short film was born, the Austrian said, because she began to question what her life would be like once her grandparents were no longer in this world. “This doubt led me to start asking myself how this affected my identity and my heritage, and thus the script for the short film was born,” the filmmaker said.  

Regarding the name, Olga Kosanović said that once she started recording Genosse Tito, Ich Erbe she realised that the subject “was bigger than I had imagined,” the director pointed out. “I realised that it was related to politics,” stated the professional, who added that, after that moment, she began to think what she could do to combine the historical events with her family. “That’s why I decided to write the fictional letters to Tito and that’s where the title came from,” she said.

Likewise, Olga Kosanović showed her gratitude for being part of the festival, “it is an honour to have been invited to Spain and to this festival that has a long tradition,” said the filmmaker.