From Narration to Monstration: Representing Trauma in Ivan Martinac’s “House on the Sand”
Višnja Pentić
visnja.pentic@gmail.comAcademy of Dramatic Arts University of Zagreb (Croatia)
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9108-0429
Abstract
Ivan Martinac’s only feature film House on the Sand (Kuća na pijesku, 1985) is an avant-garde exploration of trauma within Yugoslav cinema, distinguished by its minimalist narrative and experimental techniques. Through parametric narration, the work deviates from traditional storytelling, embracing stylistic coherence over plot-driven narratives, akin to the approaches of directors like Robert Bresson and Michelangelo Antonioni. The narrative employs innovative cinematic techniques such as fixed camera positions, zooms, and pans. These elements emphasize the film’s internal coherence and detach the camera’s perspective from the characters, fostering an autonomous, meditative gaze. This approach aligns with André Gaudreault’s concept of monstration, wherein the camera itself actively constructs meaning through framing and movement, rather than merely documenting the plot. The camera serves as an omniscient yet alienated observer, reflecting Martinac’s broader philosophical engagement with the cinematic medium and its possibilities. This formal innovation situates the film as a unique artifact in both Croatian cinema and global filmmaking.
Keywords:
parametric narration, trauma representation, monstration, minimalism, slow cinema, camera gazeReferences
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Authors
Višnja Pentićvisnja.pentic@gmail.com
Academy of Dramatic Arts University of Zagreb Croatia
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9108-0429
A graduate of Comparative Literature and English Language and Literature from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, where she also earned a PhD in Film Studies. She teaches film theory at both the Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. In 2012, she received the Vladimir Vuković Award for Best New Critic and in 2016, the annual Vladimir Vuković Award for Best Critic. She contributes essays on literature, cinema, and visual arts to Croatian Radio Channel 3 and various magazines. She is the author of the book Prozori – ogledi iz filmske stvarnosti (2023) with essays on 72 Croatian short films from the second half of the 20th century. In 2020, she launched an annual programme of free public lectures on cinema at the Cinema Club Zagreb.
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