Partisan film is the name for a subgenre of war films made in FPR/SFR Yugoslavia during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In the broadest sense, main characteristics of Partisan films are that they are set in Yugoslavia during World War II and have Yugoslav Partisans as main protagonists, while the antagonists are Axis forces and their collaborators. According to Croatian film historian Ivo Škrabalo, Partisan film is "one of the most authentic genres that emerged from the Yugoslav cinema".
Walter Defends Sarajevo, a 1972 partisan film, has a cult status in the countries of former Yugoslavia, and was seen by 300 million Chinese viewers in the year of its release alone.
Veljko Bulajić was a Montenegrin film director and UNESCO Kalinga Prize recipient. Bulajić spent the majority of his life working in Croatia and is primarily known for directing World War II-themed movies from the Partisan film genre. According to the Croatian Public Broadcasting Company, his films have reached an audience of over 500 million viewers worldwide. The top four most viewed Yugoslav films of all time were all directed by Bulajić. MUBI streaming service describes Bulajić as "a creator of made-to-order epic blockbusters".
Bulajić in 1969
