The Golden Cut 42: Children of Kozara () is a 2026 war drama film directed by Lordan Zafranović, based on a screenplay by Arsen Diklić, Zafranović, and Uroška Tatomir. A co-production of Serbia and Republika Srpska, the film premiered on 2 October 2026, opening the 53rd FEST in Belgrade.
Premise The film explores the theme of evil, taking inspiration from the true stories of the tens of thousands of children from the Kozara region who were taken to death camps during World War II in Yugoslavia—the only concentration camps for children in Europe, located in the fascist Independent State of Croatia (NDH).
The central plot follows the fate of three children, sister Zora and her two brothers, who fled from the fascists down the Dubica road with their mother in the summer of 1942. The mother and children, hungry and thirsty, escaped alongside hundreds of other refugees. The mother eventually ended up in the Ravensbrück concentration camp, while the children were sent to Collection Center No. 3, part of the Jasenovac concentration camp.
Cast Actor Role Leon Lučev Bobinac Milica Stanković Zora Vuk Trnavac Baja Miki Manojlović Vukašin Mandrapa Irfan Mensur Doctor Bruner Mina Sovtić Anica Dobra Diana Budisavljević Milan Marić Rene Bitorajac Max Werner Daehn German colonel Isidora Janković Milivoj Beader Jasenovac camp commander Bojan Navojec Blaž Pavlek Pavle Mensur Žubrinić Petar Benčina Dušanka Glid Stojanović Aleksej Bjelogrlić Lovro Miodrag Dragičević Jurica Milena Vasić Saša Joksimović Pavlina Radovanović Rade Maričić Tanasije Cakić Andrija Nikčević Đorđe Nikolić Nikola Brun Eva Ras Ljubomir Nikolić Military cook Sanja Marković Katarina Radivojević Veroljub Jeftić Marko Jeremić Bobinac's driver Batan Bogićević Max's bodyguard Nemanja Stanković Mićko Luka Antonijević Žarko Savić Italian colonel Mladen Prodan Arnold Bach Jadranka Nanić Smiljka Miljuš Katarina Gojković Aunt (Strina) Aneta Tomašević Nenad J. Popović Predrag Vasić Dejan Karlečik Gorica Popović Jelena Graovac Bora Nenić Hana Hegedušić Slobodan Milovanović Svetislav Marković Second Ustashe drunkard Danina Mogel Daniel Kovačević Ferid Karajica Branislav Ćalić Aleksa Tucakov Jack Dimić Spasoje Ž. Milovanović German officer Aleksandra Plahin Vladimir Tešović Soldier translator Aleksandar Stojić Young Ustashe soldier Jelica Kovačević Dominican nun Nikola Bošković Teodora Aleksić Ustashe youth 1 Teodora Sparavalo Ustashe youth 2
The ensemble cast also features appearances by Irfan Mensur, Anica Dobra, and Milan Marić.
Historical background During the 1942 Kozara Offensive, children from the Kozara region were forcibly taken to concentration camps in the NDH. Many children perished in Jasenovac and other camps, while a number of them were saved by Austrian humanitarian Diana Budisavljević. The film depicts these historical events through the personal tragedy of a single family.
Production Screenplay development The idea to adapt this historical tragedy for the screen originated almost 40 years prior to its premiere. Writer and screenwriter Arsen Diklić and director Lordan Zafranović began working on the screenplay under the working title Children of Kozara (Deca Kozare) in 1986. The Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s halted the project. Decades later, Zafranović returned to Diklić's text and changed the film's title to The Golden Cut 42: Children of Kozara.
Filming The film was produced by Minacord Production, in collaboration with Košutnjak Film, Netfilm, Film Center Serbia, the Audio-Visual Center of Republika Srpska, TS Media, and Art & Popcorn.
Principal photography began in July 2022. After a hiatus, filming resumed in May 2023 on locations across Serbia and Republika Srpska, lasting until the end of August 2023.
The shoot lasted for about 70 days in total. Zafranović and director of photography Goran Volarević stated they visually conceptualized the film to resemble "Renaissance paintings of evil". Young actors, including Milica Stanković and Vuk Trnavac, prepared for their roles by studying historical materials about the camp.
According to announcements following the wrap-up, the director stated that the film is dedicated to the victims of Ustashe crimes in the NDH.
Music The film's musical score was composed by Željko Joksimović, who also serves as one of the film's producers.
Release and reception The film premiered on 2 October 2026, opening the 53rd FEST at the Sava Centar in Belgrade.
Tickets for the premiere were sold out. Director Emir Kusturica spoke positively about the film, emphasizing the importance of confronting history.
See also Children of Kozara Jasenovac concentration camp Diana Budisavljević Kozara Offensive
References
External links
The Golden Cut 42 at Košutnjak Film The Golden Cut 42: Children of Kozara at FEST