User Reviews

This movie gets my 7/10. It's not a masterpiece, but it still is a very good movie and I would recommend anyone to see it. The topic of intolerance towards "other" sexualities has been dwelled on for a while, but this is somewhat of an unique perspective, since it comes from Croatia.

The story about two lesbians who fall victims of intolerance blends rather nicely with other generalized xenophobic or just plain "weird" traits of the local society. E.g. one of the characters beats his wife and seems to hate everything that's Serbian, so a separate story could probably be told about that family.

Acting is good, but not perfect. It seems to me that many Croatian actors act very conservatively (you have a feeling that they are uncomfortable swearing, or that they just came out of theater where they did Shakespeare). But, it doesn't ruin the movie, it's still very good.

A movie was a mirror of a situation in Croatia toward sexual minorities at the time. It is directed by one of best directors in Croatia (Dalibor Matanic)and the cast is also very good (Olga Pakalović, Inge Appelt, Ivica Vidović...). Even so, the pour drama academy in Croatia makes the actors play their rolls both in theatre and on the big screen as if playing a Shakespeare tragedy. Even so, it is a "must-see" movie from modern Croatian cinematography. A dramady, a story of a 2 lesbians that rent a flat hoping to keep their things private turns around like a boomerang when the "nice", old landlady figures out their sexuality. A shocking twist makes way at the second part of the movie. Not a masterpiece, but surely a good movie that occurred in the time when homosexuality in Croatia was thought to be something seen only in USA blockbusters.

Functioning less than a straight-out thriller than an intriguing slice of life in a golden-hued Zagreb in the early naughts, "Fine Dead Girls" presents a decrepit building in the Croatian capital as a microcosm of the former Yugoslav nation and its inhabitants as they try to pick up the pieces from a bloody not-so-distant past. Dalibor Matanic's saga liberally borrows from a lot of classics, but at least he vividly captures the tension and paranoia emanating from each individual, like an ex-army man who ostensibly beats up his wife, to a physician who does illegal abortion in his topmost room, and a man who can't let go of her wife even in death. At the center of such palette of idiosyncratic characters are a young lesbian couple played with understated effectiveness by Olga Pakalovic and Nina Violic. The two initially hide their relationship from a homophobic landlady with a highly chauvinistic son, but are eventually found out and soon find themselves spiraling into societal and moral conflicts. At its best, "Fine Dead Girls" is a meditative introspection into the Croatian psyche during the immediate post-war period, in which various societies struggle to forge an identity following the Balkan conflicts. Matanic doesn't give the film enough momentum to sustain an effective third act but "Fine Dead Girls" deftly paints a convincing portrait of a nation irresolutely trying to welcome every member with open arms regardless of orientation, even as it's raring to return to its feet.

What these movie does is to show the intolerance, racism, and abuse in Croatia and it is laid bare for us to witness first hand, in this sometimes comedic, sometimes deeply disturbing snapshot of post war Croatia. One wonders why this country went to war when we witness what is left. It is sad to see such intolerance, homophobia and hatred of minorities, which, according to Amnesty International, still continues today. It is a great tribute to the makes of this film that they have had the courage to lay bare their country's legacy for the world to see.

What can I say about Croatian movies? They are terrible. 60% of them are about war and 30% sucks the big time. So I usually don't watch Croatian movies. This one stayed at my desk for 9 months and finally I watched it! All I can say that it is great. You don't need a lot of money to make a god movie. All you need is a good story and good ambient in the movie.

The movie is about 2 lesbian girls that move to live together. They find a place in part of Zagreb called Tresnjevka (I know that because I live in Zagreb). Problem with Tresnjevka was it was a workers part of town. Now it isn't, but it was before 50 years. So they find an apartment in a house. Problem with the house it that it has ghosts of her own. The landlord is a women that is conservative a manipulative person. It has a son that is under big influence of his mom. On one floor there is a soldier that has Vietnam syndrome and bit's his wife every day because she can give him a son. On one floor there is a hoer. In one floor there is a guy that is holding his dead wife in his apartment pretending that she is alive. And on the last floor is gynecologic.

Can you expect what can happen in catholic and conservative Country like Croatia?

Iva and Maria, a young lesbian pair, rent a favorable, nice dwelling in a less good area of Zagreb, Croatia. But unfortunately, included in the rent are the neighbors, the neighbors from hell. The curious landlady, foreigners flogging nationalists, an old man, who live with his dead wife and a man, who beat his wife regularly, are just one part of this neighbourhood. When one of the neighbors falls in love with Iva, the situation escalates - with the result of three dead people at the end. This is a story about the fight for tolerance and the own life, full of psychological shock effects and colorful pictures about suburban living in the capital of Croatia.

Suffocated life. Intolerance. Free-living. Love and love deviations. Masses of suffocated people walking through streets, shopping in big supermarkets.

Fine mrtve djevojke was the Golden Arena winner(best movie, best directing, best production...) in 2002 at the Croatian Pula Film Festival and the best Croatian movie of the same year.

8/10

This is 'a story in a story movie'. A woman is telling a story from a few years ago to a policeman because her son is kidnapped. And that part of the movie - her story - is great. With 'crazy house' that she moved in, weird neighbours strange situations. I think that the movie would've been better if it had ended with that, without 'the present story'. I really don't see a reason for that kidnapping part. Maybe to extend the lenght of the movie (only 75 minutes), but that just lowered my opinion about this movie. So it's 8, but could have been 9 or even 10 (if it was 60 minutes:-)

Film is fast, funny, it has drama and some violence. New generation of croatian actors predict better future for croatian film makers and whole "movie industry".

But, if you aren't familiar with croatian social circumstances, you'll lose some understanding of the movie. Still, watch it, you won't regret it.

I am very sorry becouse i didnt see this film on the pula film festival, i didnt go that year at all because the last year the films were so bad that i didnt go the next year. I m sorry becouse this film is actualy a very good film, and i dont mean a good film from croatia but in general. It was so fresh film for our cinema industry, just what we needed. Our films in general are very stupid or are comedies that arent so fun(even some thinks that Bresans comedies are really good, and they arent too far from the truth but still they arent a film that i would recomended for somone), but in the case of Fine Mrtve Djevojke I would recomended it to any one as a good film, far from masterpiece but also far from bad, a film that i would rate of 7/10 which is a very high grade. So in this film we have two lesbian that come to live in a house in Zagreb but they will see and experience the people hate and understanding for those who are diferent. The film is prety good in every aspect it has very good mood, acting, story and directing, and it captured very well the situation in our country, the (not)understending for thos who are diferent. A nice little film that has become a big film becouse it has no competition. Also i wont to say about these year of pula film festival the winner Tu is a ok film and nothing more 6/10 for me, what hold that film is very good acting, and also the film capture very good the situation in our country. Also I have seen 2 more films(i didnt have time for otheras unfortenly). Infekcija is the film that won the prize of the audience and its a combination of sf and horor and I can easly say its one of the worst film on the festival for sure 3/10, evrything in this film was silly and dull, I expected much more from the sequel of Infekcija, a truly disapointing. Also I have seen the film Onaj Koji Ce Ostati Neprimjecen and I dont now what to say about that film maybe somone will like it and discover some meaning, but for me there isnt any meaning, what was the point of this movie, also one of the most boring movie I have seen, it didnt go nowhere no story, so bad dialaogs that i couldnt belive, acting wasnt so bad but it cant be good if there isnt no screnplay so one of the worst films i ever seen 2/10, a waste of money, time and talent(if there are some). Too bad I didnt see the others films which looked much more better than these ones wich was the weakest films on the festival. So the films are maiden more than in recent years but that doesent bring the quality(excepts are Fine Mrtve Djevojke, and if u want maybe Bresans films).

Im sorry for the bad english

Fine mrtve djevojke or Fine Dead Girls is a really promising movie showing talent of a young director Dalibor Matanic. In some ways it is a very accurate picture of the Croatian society today. In the spotlight we see two girls (Olga Pakalovic and Nina Violic) that are looking not only for the apartment to live in, but also a place where they could lead their lives as they want to. People that they meet, and the events that occur are as dark as realistic. The palette of characters is very interesting, although I was very pleased with the performance of Inge Appelt who played the old woman. A fine dose of humor is very well mixed with scenes of brutality. Definitely a good movie that i would recommend to anyone.

I'm working in Croatia for last two years and I must say this is a brilliant film about situation in this country in tranzition. Very dynamic and modern approach to intolerance and evil. The film showed my emotions about that country.

People from Northern Europe, Western Europe, America have no idea how the homophobia is accurate in this movie. People of the former Yugoslavia, not just Croatia, are extremely homophobic.

That happy ending was awesome. However, i think if this movie ended on the old lady with the child, i think that ending would of been the realistic ending.

You know, this movie has elements of two of my favourite horror movies, combining the British movie TRIANGLE, and the FRENCH MASTERPIECE MARTYRS, you get this movie, and it does work.

I was expecting when getting into this, i was going to get a nearly plotless movie, no. This movie has strong writing. It makes us care about our characters, i think it was the point that both sides of the family, you got the evil unlikeable wife, and the extremely loveable huband, while on the other side, you got a likeable girl that misses her boyfriend, and she's with this other a bit bratty chick that seems to be extremely controlling.

Actually while watching this, the time just flew. Like i was wathcinking this and the time really just passed, which means we got a interesting movie here. Camera work is fine, acting seems to be alright, writing is pretty good.

Ultimately yes this is the first movie from Croatia that i have seen, and i can safely say that this ranks up alongside stuff like Martyrs and Triangle in the same boat.

Spoon feeding the audience fest. Can characters be more obvious and "through the roof"? There is no gray in this movie, and the director is making it crystal clear what who he wants you to hate or love, and that is not the problem, the problem is that he shows it in an obvious childish way. You can find more colorful characters in Predator than in this movie, and this is not an action pact sci-fi flick, it is supposed to be a drama, than dramatize! Don't show one dimensional characters and predictable plot! Other than that, it has it's moments, it is fairly funny and the acting is good, thus showing Croatia has some good talent.

I haven't seen any Croatian film made since the beginning of war. It's funny to see actors we used to know ten or fifteen years older now.

In this film I liked the production - camera, photography and editing are really professional - you wouldn't say it was made on Balkans. Acting is mostly OK as well.

On the other side, the directing and the story are pretty weak. Everything seems like one dark documentary (yes we know the Balkan really looks like that, and people are really like that). No artistic moments, no metaphors, whole story is explicitly presented, and I dislike this way of movie making. That's why the movie was boring to me, both the story and the way it will be told is predictable.

Though, film-making technique is really good and I guess Croatia can make some really good movies, this one is on the right way.