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Dara of Jasenovac (2020) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Dara of Jasenovac (2020) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2020 · 130 mins · Serbian
Echo score 78
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Directed by
Predrag Antonijević
Starring
Petar Zekavica, Vuk Kostić, Marko Janketić, Andrea Forca, Goran Jokić, Jovo Maksić
Budget
$3.6M

During the Nazi-occupied Ustasha regime in Yugoslavia during World War II, a young girl named Dara is deported to the Jasenovac concentration camp complex in Croatia. Often referred to as "Balkan's Auschwitz," Jasenovac was a network of camps known for its brutal conditions and systematic persecution of Serbs, Jews, Roma, and other groups. The film portrays Dara's experiences within this horrific environment and the struggle for survival amidst unimaginable cruelty.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (6)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Dara of Jasenovac
  8. 8 Every angle
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6 main characters · contains spoilers

Dara of Jasenovac Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Dara of Jasenovac (2020), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Dara Ilić

    A determined young girl who becomes the central figure tasked with protecting her younger brother as their family is torn apart by transport to the Jasenovac camp. Her resilience and quick thinking drive the plot and her quiet leadership emerges under extreme oppression.

    • 🎭 Protagonist
    • 👧 Child
    • 🛡️ Survivor
  • Jovo Ilić (Marko Pipić)

    Dara's older brother who shares the perilous journey with her during the deportation. He embodies the family’s hope and vulnerability as they confront the camp’s brutal regime together.

    • 🎭 Sibling
    • 🧩 Protector
  • Mile Ilić (Zlatan Vidović)

    The father who, off-screen, carries the grim task of removing and disposing of corpses, reflecting the depth of complicity and the emotional toll inflicted by the camp system on the families.

    • 🧭 Father figure
    • 🗃️ Duty
  • Nada Ilić (Anja Stanić)

    Dara and Jovo's mother, who fights to protect her children until her life is cut short by a brutal act of violence at the hands of a guard.

    • 💔 Mother
    • 🛡️ Protector
  • Ante Vrban

    played by Igor Đorđević

    A cruel guard who enforces the brutality of the camp, including the execution of Dara’s mother and older brother, illustrating the merciless power dynamics within the system.

    • 🗡️ Oppressor
  • Blankica

    A Jewish prisoner who forms a pivotal alliance with Dara and helps plot an escape, embodying courage and solidarity among prisoners.

    • 🤝 Ally

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:11

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Setting

Where and When Does Dara of Jasenovac Take Place?

The setting of Dara of Jasenovac (2020): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

1940s, World War II

The events unfold in the early 1940s during the Axis occupation of the Balkans. Prisoners are rounded up, transported by cattle cars, and subjected to executions and harsh conditions as part of genocidal policies. The backdrop includes the Kozara Offensive, which amplifies the peril faced by Dara and her family.

Location

Jasenovac concentration camp, Independent State of Croatia

The film is set around the Jasenovac concentration camp in the Independent State of Croatia during World War II. It centers on the transport of prisoners to the camp, the brutal regime inside, and the guards’ performances of cruelty. The setting highlights the dehumanization and systematic violence faced by families targeted by the regime.

  • 🪖 War zone
  • 🏚️ Concentration camp
  • 📜 Atrocities

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:11

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3 major themes

Dara of Jasenovac Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Dara of Jasenovac (2020) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Survival

    Dara’s desperate bid to keep her younger brother alive under brutality demonstrates how individuals cling to life amid systematic violence. The film follows small, resolute acts of resilience that sustain dignity when options are few.

  • Family

    The bond between Dara and her brother drives the narrative, with Dara assuming protective responsibilities in the face of overwhelming danger. The story emphasizes the weight of family ties in extreme circumstances.

  • Escape

    Escape appears as a beacon of hope as Dara forms alliances to outmaneuver guards. The theme explores risk, cunning, and the fragile pursuit of freedom within a system designed to crush resistance.

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:11

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Character & theme questions

Dara of Jasenovac Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Dara of Jasenovac (2020): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Jasenovac concentration camp located?

Jasenovac was located in the Independent State of Croatia, a puppet state of Nazi Germany during World War II. The camp complex was situated near the town of Jasenovac in modern-day Croatia, about 100 kilometers southeast of Zagreb. It was often referred to as the 'Balkan's Auschwitz' due to its scale and brutality.

  • jassenovac
  • concentration camp
  • croatia
  • independent state of croatia
  • balkan auschwitz
Q2

When does the story take place?

The film is set in the early 1940s during World War II, specifically during the Axis occupation of the Balkans. The narrative unfolds around the time of the Kozara Offensive, a significant military operation that intensified the persecution of civilians in the region.

  • world war ii
  • 1940s
  • axis occupation
  • balkans
  • kozara offensive
Q3

Who is Dara in the movie?

Dara Ilić is the young protagonist of the film. She is a determined girl who becomes separated from her family upon arrival at Jasenovac and is tasked with protecting her younger brother. Her resilience and quick thinking emerge as she navigates the brutal camp environment, making her a symbol of quiet leadership under extreme oppression.

  • dara ilić
  • protagonist
  • young girl
  • survivor
Q4

Who is Ante Vrban in the story?

Ante Vrban is a cruel guard at Jasenovac camp, played by Igor Đorđević. He represents the merciless power dynamics within the camp system and is responsible for executing Dara's mother and older brother, illustrating the deliberate cruelty inflicted by the Ustasha regime on prisoners.

  • ante vrban
  • guard
  • cruel
  • ustasha
  • executioner
Q5

Who is Blankica in the film?

Blankica is a Jewish prisoner at Jasenovac who forms a pivotal alliance with Dara. She helps plot an escape attempt, embodying courage and solidarity among prisoners from different backgrounds who united against their common oppressors.

  • blankica
  • jewish prisoner
  • escape
  • alliance
  • solidarity
Q6

What role does family play in the movie?

Family is a central theme driving the narrative. Dara's bond with her younger brother motivates her survival actions throughout the film. The story emphasizes the weight of family ties in extreme circumstances, showing how Dara assumes protective responsibilities when her family is torn apart by deportation to the camp.

  • family
  • brother
  • mother
  • father
  • protection
  • bond
Q7

What does the movie say about survival?

The film explores how individuals cling to life amid systematic violence through Dara's desperate efforts to keep her brother alive. It portrays small, resolute acts of resilience that sustain dignity when options are few, showing the human will to survive even in the most dehumanizing conditions.

  • survival
  • resilience
  • brutality
  • human will
  • dignity
Q8

How does the escape theme develop in the story?

Escape appears as a beacon of hope as Dara forms alliances, particularly with Blankica, to outmaneuver the guards. The theme explores risk, cunning, and the fragile pursuit of freedom within a system designed to crush resistance. However, the film leaves the outcome of the escape plan ambiguous.

  • escape
  • freedom
  • hope
  • alliance
  • plan
  • prisoners
Q9

What was Jasenovac camp known for?

Jasenovac was a network of concentration camps in the Independent State of Croatia, known for its brutal conditions and systematic persecution of Serbs, Jews, Roma, and other groups deemed undesirable by the Ustasha regime. It operated from 1941 to 1945 and is remembered as one of the most notorious camps in Nazi-occupied Europe.

  • jasenovac
  • concentration camp
  • genocide
  • serbs
  • jews
  • roma
  • ustasha
Q10

What was the Independent State of Croatia?

The Independent State of Croatia (NDH) was a puppet state established by the Ustasha fascist regime in Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia during World War II. It operated from 1941 to 1945 and implemented genocidal policies targeting Serbs, Jews, Roma, and political opponents, collaborating closely with Nazi Germany.

  • independent state of croatia
  • ustasha
  • fascist regime
  • nazi
  • yugoslavia
  • collaboration

Movie threads

More Movies Like Dara of Jasenovac, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Dara of Jasenovac tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about a child's perspective in war like Dara of Jasenovac

Stories of innocence shattered by the brutal realities of war and genocide. If you were moved by the harrowing journey of Dara, explore other films that depict war and genocide through a child's eyes. These movies share a similar heavy emotional weight, focusing on loss of innocence and the struggle for survival amidst historical atrocities, offering a deeply personal view of large-scale tragedies.

  • loss of innocence
  • somber
  • harrowing
  • grief-stricken
  • survival-focused
  • historical tragedy
  • Tone: dark, somber, tragic
  • Pacing: steady, observational
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow a young protagonist thrust into a horrific historical event they cannot fully comprehend. The story unfolds as a series of sensory and emotional impressions, focusing on survival, the loss of family, and the erosion of childhood by forces beyond their control. The plot is often straightforward, driven by the child's immediate experiences rather than complex political machinations.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here because they share the specific narrative device of a child's perspective to convey the human cost of war. This creates a consistent tone of profound sadness and a uniquely visceral sense of tragedy, making vast historical events feel intimate and personally devastating.

Grim survival horror dramas like Dara of Jasenovac

Grim stories of endurance against systematic, overwhelming cruelty. For viewers seeking movies with the same oppressive and brutal tone as Dara of Jasenovac, this list features stories of extreme survival. These films share a high intensity and dark tone, exploring the limits of human endurance in concentration camps, prisons, and other horrific settings where characters face systematic persecution.

  • oppressive
  • brutal
  • desperate
  • harrowing
  • survival-focused
  • unflinching
  • Tone: dark, oppressive, harrowing
  • Pacing: steady, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern is one of relentless adversity. Characters are subjected to a sequence of horrific events with little to no reprieve. The plot is a straightforward chronicle of suffering and the minute-by-minute struggle to persist. There is no traditional hero's journey, only the raw, uncompromising will to live another day in the face of unimaginable evil.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared commitment to an unflinching, dark tone and high intensity. They create a cohesive viewing experience defined by feelings of oppression, desperation, and a harrowing focus on the physical and emotional cost of survival against impossible odds.

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Every angle

Dara of Jasenovac (2020) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Dara of Jasenovac in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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