When Father Was Away on Business
A young Yugoslav boy turns his father’s political imprisonment into an innocent “business trip” while his family navigates fear, loyalty, and absurdity.
Overview
A poignant tale of childhood innocence amidst the chaos of political turmoil.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- melancholic
- compassionate
- historical cinema night
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly admire the film’s richly detailed characters, courageous political realism, witty humor, and deeply compassionate portrayal of family life.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Malik accepts the euphemism that his imprisoned father is away on business, while the audience understands the political reality.
The family’s ordeal is rendered through witty, observant episodes shaped by arrests, surveillance, and communist authority.
Meša’s imprisonment after a careless remark forces Sena and Malik to reorganize their lives around his absence.
Political repression is shown through family life, neighborhood relationships, and everyday customs in 1950s Yugoslavia.
Films like When Father Was Away on Business, and why
The White Ribbon
shared coming-of-age perspective, political repression, family intimacy, and bittersweet humor
Hope and Glory
shared child-centered historical drama, authoritarian social pressures, and compassionate family storytelling
Closely Watched Trains
shared European political satire, richly detailed ensemble characters, and humor amid ideological upheaval
The Lives of Others
shared family-centered portrait of communism, absurdist humor, and emotional historical realism
Movie Details
- Director
- Emir Kusturica
- Release Date
- 1985-01-15
- Runtime
- 136 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (162)
Cast
- Moreno de Bartoli
- Predrag 'Miki' Manojlović
- Mirjana Karanović
- Mustafa Nadarević
- Mira Furlan
- Predrag Laković
- Pavle Vuisić
- Slobodan Aligrudić
- Eva Ras
- Aco Gjorčev
Common questions
- What is When Father Was Away on Business about?
- A young Yugoslav boy turns his father’s political imprisonment into an innocent “business trip” while his family navigates fear, loyalty, and absurdity.
- What is When Father Was Away on Business like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of When Father Was Away on Business as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is When Father Was Away on Business violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in When Father Was Away on Business as mild.
- What did critics think of When Father Was Away on Business?
- Critics broadly admire the film’s richly detailed characters, courageous political realism, witty humor, and deeply compassionate portrayal of family life.
- Which films are like When Father Was Away on Business?
- Films with a similar feel include The White Ribbon, Hope and Glory, Closely Watched Trains, and The Lives of Others.
- How long is When Father Was Away on Business?
- When Father Was Away on Business runs 136 minutes.
