YEAR OF THE MONKEY – Vladimir Blaževski (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)

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The two main protagonists of this black comedy are Tsobe, a poor warden at the Zoo in Skopje and the chimpanzee Coco, inhabitant at the same Zoo. The simple story tangles up with Coco’s escape from “captivity to freedom”. Tsobe, because of the general economic crisis and poverty, gets fired from his job but he also receives a promise that he would be taken back to work if he manages to track down and bring back the fugitive.
In the wretched and transition-devastated country, the escaped chimpanzee causes big media uproar. Coco becomes a symbol of resistance and liberal tendencies, someone who has managed to break away from the enchanted circle of general entropy. That is how Tsobe’s mission for capturing the fugitive becomes traitorous.
The absurdly comical mischief of the hunt for the run-away monkey, we partly follow through Coco’s perspective. He is kind of a mirror and silent witness of the sad and at the same time funny world that has lost its compass. And an unintentional tragicomic reason for people’s confrontation with their own fears and frustrations. He even becomes the flag of the revolt, disobedience and everything that a common person cannot be in an unfortunate country.

Born in Skopje, Macedonia, 1955. Graduated film director (Academy for film, theatre, radio & television in Belgrade).
Since 1978 professionally involved in film making (6 short documentaries, many film commercials and over 200 television broadcasts).
Since 1994 professor of Film Theory and Film History at the Faculty of Drama Arts in Skopje, Macedonia. 1998-2000 professor of Film Directing at the »Dunav film« Film Academy in Belgrade.
2005-2006 professor of Film Directing at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, Serbia. Since 2006 professor of Film Directing at »Megatrend University«, Belgrade.
As a director: 6 short documentaries, many film commercials and over 200 television broadcasts (for TV Belgrade, mostly).