Educational Media Reviews Online

Based upon personal testimonial by Serbian émigré Suzana Jeremic, this experimental video art presents the trajectory of a young woman from a household marred with domestic violence to freedom and empowerment. Suzana’s narrative, used as a voice-over, provides the basic structure of this production. With rich imagery, powerful memories of her life in Jagodina, Serbia unfold through a series of dreams and nightmares revealing Suzana’s perspectives and viewpoint. Suzana expresses her intimate bond with her mother and her stepfather’s violent behavior and yet, her mother’s subordination and denial. Grim family life does not deter Suzana to recognize the positive side of life and to nurture hopes for change. When Suzana is unable to persuade her mother to leave, she decides to leave on her own.

The personal account unfolds presenting different phases of Suzana’s life, exploring the mother-daughter connection and uncovering a family with serious abusive relationships. The dreamlike visuals add to the arresting atmosphere with composition indicative of great artistry. Exquisite sound track juxtaposes a duet of violin and piano with sounds of falling water. While the predominance of impressionistic drapery reminiscent of Georgia O’Keefe with colors ranging from blue to white adds to the poetic expression, elements of horror movies such as the “skinless person” covered in blood crystallizes the theme of Suzana’s profound pain and suffering.

This video is a fiction art and not a documentary per se. It is an avant-garde artistic manifestation inspired by Suzana’s personal story. Although the narrative suggests an anti-domestic violence stance, assess critically Serbian gender issues, and points to the affliction and anguish experienced by children raised in these households, the visual material is distinct and contains no documentary elements substantiating these themes. Yet, scenes such as the one where Suzana exits the kitchen to flee her home contrasted by the silence of her mother and the three older women in black who continue to knead bread and stir pots seems to articulate deep concern for the legacy of abuse and subservience. The video ends on an uplifting note as Suzana reflects positively on her decision to leave her family and pursue her interest in theater.

Dreams of Jagodina can be used as a complement to a critical and comprehensive discussion surrounding a spectrum of issues on domestic violence. Recommended for classroom and discussion settings on domestic violence and violence against women, especially with focus on Eastern European gender issues.