Otac na službenom putu
In a post-WWII Yugoslavia still under Stalinist rule in the 1950s, six-year-old Malik is oblivious as to why his father, Mehmed, has suddenly disappeared. In truth, Mehmed has been sent to a labor camp as punishment for acts of sexual indiscretion involving young girls. Malik's mother, Senija, however, has no answers, and the family must cope in the father's absence.
When Father Was Away on Business (1985) is a drama film directed by Emir Kusturica, released on January 15, 1985 with a runtime of 2h 16m. It stars Moreno de Bartoli, Predrag 'Miki' Manojlović, Mirjana Karanović and Mustafa Nadarević. Viewers rate it 7.3 out of 10 across 159 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for When Father Was Away on Business before you stream it.
Moreno de Bartoli
as Malik
Predrag 'Miki' Manojlović
as Mehmed 'Meša' Zolj, otac
Mirjana Karanović
as Senija 'Sena' Zolj, majka
Mustafa Nadarević
as Zijah 'Zijo' Zulfikarpašić
Mira Furlan
as Ankica Vidmar
Predrag Laković
as Kućepazitelj Franjo
Pavle Vuisić
as Muzafer Zulfikarpašić, dedo
Slobodan Aligrudić
as Ostoja Cekić
Eva Ras
as Ilonka Petrović
Aco Gjorčev
as Dr. Jevgeni Ljahov
Emir Hadžihafizbegović
as Fahro Zulfikarpašić
Zoran Radmilović
as Brko Pilot
Directed by Emir Kusturica, written by Abdulah Sidran, produced by Mirza Pašić.
Average viewer score of 7.3/10 from 159 ratings.
Emir Kusturica's When Father Was Away on Business is a courageous, funny, and deeply moving film that blends comedy, family drama, and political realism. The title refers to the lie a family tells a six-year-old boy to explain his father's imprisonment in a labor camp for a thoughtless remark that offended Communist officials. It won the Palme d'Or at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy…
Reviewed on September 17, 2025
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When Father Was Away on Business (1985) is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of When Father Was Away on Business (1985) includes Moreno de Bartoli, Predrag 'Miki' Manojlović, Mirjana Karanović, Mustafa Nadarević and Mira Furlan. The film was directed by Emir Kusturica. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
When Father Was Away on Business was released on January 15, 1985 and runs for 2h 16m.
When Father Was Away on Business (1985) holds an average rating of 7.3 out of 10 from 159 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official When Father Was Away on Business trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
