Shok (2015) User Reviews

An excellent short.

[cfcurrie · 8/10 · 25 September 2015]

I was able to see this film locally thanks to the Manhattan Short Film Festival.

Simply put, this is an excellent, if not tragic tale. It was directed wonderfully and gives a glimpse into a conflict few American reflect on. The small part of the Kosovo conflict as seen thru eyes of children is very well crafted. The child actors give strong performances. The only criticism I could give the film is that for someone unfamiliar with The Kosovo Conflict (as I was) may be at a loss as to which faction is which. As it is not a war movie, but a slice of life of one family, and a particular family friend, the officials on various levels, are not easy to identify. While it's difficult beyond this to expound upon the plot of a short film, I suggest you take the time to see it.

Makes you let your emotional guard down before it punches you

[StevePulaski · 8/10 · 24 February 2016]

Shok takes place during the brutal Kosovo War, a war which divided Albanians and Serbians. Writer/director Jamie Donoughue showcases the war through the eyes of two young Albanian boys, Petrit and Oki (Lum Veseli and Andi Bajgora), who are harassed by Serbian soldiers one day, which results in Petrit making a deal with one of the soldiers that involves selling Oki's bicycle. Disgusted at his friends' compliance with the enemy, the two briefly separate before realizing that they are all they have in a war-torn land.

Rather than revolving around a coming of age narrative that is ripe for yet another tired showcase of innocence lost, Donoughue is diligent with emphasizing friendship and the need for trusting someone when everyone but your family seems like the enemy. There is a constant feeling of dread throughout the entire picture, and just when you feel the short will end rather inconsequentially, it hits you with a riveting and unexpected sequence that will affect the lives of the boys forever.

Shok nicely paces itself in that it almost forces you to let your guard down as a viewer, forgetting to expect the unexpected, before hitting you with an emotional punch that comes effectively in the latter half of the short. While Donoughue enters the narrative from a fairly easy point of entry - focusing on two young, innocent boys - comes with a story to tell and not with an agenda, which is all too easy to do with short films like this one. It's all worth it for that riveting and heartwrenching final shot that feels burned into my retina, at least temporarily.

Displays both the power of the human spirit and tragedy of human nature.

[Schleppy88 · 9/10 · 29 February 2016]

A film that has amazing scope for its short duration and modest budget.

On the one hand, it's a wonderful tale of friendship, forgiveness, and finding hope in darkness; juxtapositioned with a story of racism, cruelty, and ultimately tragedy.

I always find it incredible when films can intertwine normal human interaction (such as fighting and making up with a childhood friend) into extreme circumstances like wartime. It reminds us that no matter the time or place, we all still have the same fears, loves, relationships, and feelings. The film pulled off this authenticity because of the stellar acting by the two young main characters.

When the character we see at the beginning returns at the end, you look at him with a new perspective. This time his eyes cut right into you and you feel the cost of war.

Rest in peace to all of the innocents whose lives were taken in the Kosovo War, and hopefully this film can impact future dialogue and the pursuit of other films on the topic. If I had been running the show at the Academy this year, "Shok" would have certainly walked away with the Best Short Film prize.

Surely An Oscar Winner

[steviepage · 10/10 · 10 February 2016]

A VERY IMPORTANT FILM

SHOK is one of the best short films I have ever seen. A story most excellently delivered. Beautifully Directed, shot and acted. A very important film that fulfils the noble task of educating mankind to the plight of the Albanians.

I was first exposed to Shok when it was submitted to me as a judge at the 2015 Hollyshorts International Film Festival. Shok won best short film at Hollyshorts and went on to win many other awards. I predicted back in Aug 2015 that Shok would be nominated for an academy award. And I predict now that it will win. I have seen the other 4 nominees and I feel that Shok stands well above the competition. Not only in terms of its flawless delivery but also the importance of a story that the world needs to see and know.

sincerely

Stephen C Page

Depressing but awfully good.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 30 January 2016]

Two boys, one Serbian and one Albanian, are friends despite the war and you see about this portion of their lives through a flashback that involves a bicycle. But it's hard to remain friends when the Serbian kid is being pulled one way and the Albanian the other. The climax comes like a brick against your skull and left many in the audience on the verge of tears.

I have seen quite a few films about the civil wars that tore Yugoslavia apart. None of them are pleasant and really cannot be. However, this one stands out because the acting by the kids is very nice and the story very well directed and paced. It's hard to pick the best of the five nominees and after a lot of thought, I think this one is best. Will it win the Oscar, I have no idea. As I already mentioned, there are three depressing films (including this one) and they might tend to take votes from each other.

I'll be updating this review after the Oscars are announced on February 28th.

UPDATE: "Stutterer" took the Oscar for Best Live Action Short.

A transformative experience

[JacobOB · 8/10 · 6 March 2016]

A truly touching tale that really helps one to better understand the privileges many of us have. Freedom from oppression, freedom from hate, and relative acceptance of religion and nationality is something truly to be treasured as "Shok" shows us through it's heart warming and heart breaking tale of friendship. The cinematography was near flawless and every moment of the film was filled with tension. The boys friendship is something that almost all can relate to and their connection in such a bleak world is such a wonderful thing to see. Living in a country in which I can say anything I please short of threatening the safety of the public and go unharmed tends to blind us to the issues that many others suffer through every day due to something that is out of their control. I would highly recommend that everyone of every walk of life watch this transformative film.

a bike

[Kirpianuscus · 29 June 2021]

As Serbian, iIt is easy to see it as propaganda tool , knowing reality was more complex . But it represents only a portrait of friendship in time of war. An universal story, in which Albanian or Serbian are only examples from many others. Two Albanians friends . The relation with Serbian soldiers. And its result. A bike as madlene for memories of surviver. Well crafted, powerful message, impressive acting of young actors.

Not my favorite Oscar short but still good

[movie_film_Person007 · 7/10 · 21 February 2016]

7

So simply put this film was close to flawless (except how was the bike just sitting in the middle of the road? They should of put it in a field and had them hiking around to find it just one small thing) however, shouldn't the energy and resources put into film be used to impose justice on the war-crime committed?

I'm sure making the film is cathartic but I was left wondering, if this really happened to a friend of mine, I would of spend my entire life trying to find who did that to my friend and get him arrested, tried and convicted for a war-crime.

I do really appreciate the talent of the filmmakers, but I'm not sure their efforts in this medium are correct or appropriate given their past circumstances.

Again I digress and ask, if they had the means to pull something like this short film off, couldn't they transfuse that same effort and money into imposing justice on the wrongs done in the past which this film depicts?

Solid story set against a bleak background

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 18 February 2017]

"Shok" is a 22-minute live action short film from 2015 written and directed by British filmmaker Jamie Donoughue. However, looking at where this film plays, there is no English language in here, so you will most likely need subtitles. It is the story of two friends living in the Kosovo during wartime. This war is already over for quite a while, but this movie shows that with the right approach and script, it's still very much possible to make (engaging) (short) films about this dark subject. The complicated political and military situations puts the boys' friendship to risk on several occasions, but all that unites them is stronger eventually and goes way beyond the love for bikes when it comes to what they have in common. I think the acting here is solid overall, the fatter kid gives the best performance in the film. It sure is a depressing watch as well, but I guess it still depicts life in Kosovo realistically and death was a crucial component to living in this "country" at that point in time later in the 20th century. All in all, probably not an Oscar-deserving short film, but I don't mind the nomination. In terms of the quality, it is on a similar level like the winner "Stutterer", even if the subjects couldn't be more different. Worth checking out.

Extremely Good but Depressing Short

[Michael_Elliott · 26 February 2016]

Shok (2015)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Set during the Kosovo war, this short deals with the friendship between an Albanian boy and a Serbian one. The two boys share a common bond of a bicycle and soon this here could lead them to tragic results.

This short was shot in Mitrovica, Kosovo and really isn't the most pleasant film that you're going to watch. It seems when you go through the Oscar-nominated short films they are from filmmakers who want to do something series and tackle very dramatic and sometimes tragic events. Director and writer Jamie Donoughue certainly paints a rather tragic picture with this one and there's no doubt that the emotional punch is right on the mark. Setting a film during the war and involving kids can always be tricky but this short manages to get its point across without being preachy. The story itself is quite simple but the director does wonders with it and turns in a very depressing and bleak film.