Directory of World Cinema: East Europe

Since the 1970s, the works of filmmakers from the nations of Eastern Europe –  among them, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Béla Tarr, István Szabó, and Jirí Menzel – have experienced an international upsurge in popularity. Charting the trends of the national cinemas of Poland, Hungary, and Yugoslavia, as well as the lesser-known industries of Serbia, Slovakia, and Romania, this new volume in the Directory of World Cinema series explores important genres in the cinema of Eastern Europe, including war films, new wave, comedies, and surrealist art cinema, with essays on the most prolific filmmakers, in-depth reviews of key titles, and suggested resources for further study. Fifty full-colour stills round out this invaluable guide to the burgeoning cinema of Eastern Europe.

Part of the Directory of World Cinema series, this title includes contributions from some of the leading academics in the field. It features film recommendations from a range of genres for those interested in watching more cinema from these regions. It also features comprehensive filmography as an index. Given the prevalence of important new wave cinemas across Eastern Central Europe in the post-war, post-Stalinist era (Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia), this new volume of the Directory of World Cinema series charts the trends of these national cinemas.

In the decades since the 1970s, the continuing popularity of filmmakers from these countries (including Krzysztof Kieslowski, Béla Tarr, István Szabó and Jiri Menzel), coupled with a recent international surge in the visibility of the cinemas of Serbia, Slovakia and Romania, means that these countries in East Central Europe are a central focus in the directory. Introductory essays of this title establish key players and explore important genres such as war, comedy, surrealism and art cinema while reviews and case studies analyse individual titles in considerable depth. For the film studies scholar, or for all those who love cinema and want to learn more, Directory of World Cinema: East Europe will be an essential companion.