Horror director reveals the shocking truths behind ‘vile’ film banned in 46 countries

Somebody in the UK was arrested for importing a copy of A Serbian Film and the festival director at Sitges got charged with exhibiting child pornography for screening it.

Even 15 years after its release, Srdjan Spasojeviċ’s feature debut remains one of the most controversial films ever released.

Co-written with Aleksandar Radivojević and starring Srdjan Zika Todorović and Sergej Trifunovć, the extreme horror film follows the story of an ageing pornstar, Miloš (Todorović), who accepts a mysterious job to secure his family’s financial future.

But when he discovers he has been drafted into making a paedophilia and necrophilia themed snuff film, he immediately exits production.

Three days later, he wakes up bloodied in his bed at home with no recollection of the last 62 hours, endeavouring to discover exactly what has happened to him and what he has done to others.

The film depicts some of the most abhorrent acts one can imagine, and despite it being entirely fictional, A Serbian Film caused uproar at the time of its release. It was banned in 46 countries, and its UK premiere at FrightFest was dropped after the BBFC and Westminster Council insisted that a heavily cut version be shown.

Fifteen years later, Stephen Biro’s A Serbian Documentary will be shown at the horror festival, taking viewers behind the scenes of the world’s most infamous horror film.

‘I first saw a Serbian film back in 2010. A screener was sent to me to see if I would want to distribute it in the United States. Me and my second ex-wife watched it, and we loved it. Then the bidding war started happening, and it got out of my range, so we lost it,’ Unearthed Films owner Biro told Metro.

‘Years later, I met Srdjan at a horror convention, and he told me he was getting ripped off by everybody who put it out. And I said, “Well, dude, I’ll help sue people for you. Let’s get this going.”

‘And we did. I sued other companies, and when we won, I made him a bunch of money.’

This led to Biro teaming up with Spasojeviċ to create the documentary, which enjoys its world premiere today at Leicester Square’s Odeon Luxe.

‘Next thing I know, he sent me all the storyboards, all the costumes. I got the baby, everybody’s heads, all the bodies,’ he recalled.

‘He also sent me 162 hours of behind-the-scenes footage that they shot on set. And I’m like, “Dude, let me make a documentary.”‘

A Serbian Documentary aims to demystify the notorious film, showing that it is not simply ‘vile for vile’s sake’ and is instead a reflection of the censorship Spasojeviċ and Radivojević experienced within Serbia’s film industry, as well as their country’s tumultuous history.

‘Serbia went through genocide. That was the whole point of the movie,’ Biro explained. ‘That’s why there are scenes in there that for normal people are a lot.’

The director continued: ‘It’s vile for the sake of what the people dealt with in Serbia. It’s like what Srdjan says at the end of the documentary: Humankind deserves worse than what I’ve depicted.’

Despite the horrors that play out throughout A Serbian Film, the documentary shows the fun that was had on set with the cast and crew, who all became like ‘family’ according to Biro.

‘Everybody’s proud of the movie in Serbia, and they had a great time shooting it,’ he said.

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‘Srdjan and I went through 162 hours of footage behind-the-scenes, and there were some shots where an actor would look p****d and they’re yelling, but they were complaining about soccer or a cheeseburger. It was just a normal film set.

‘I enjoyed that they all became a family and tried to have as much fun as possible.’

Following the initial outrage A Serbian Film received, it has been reappraised over the last 15 years, with many hailing its themes as well as its gruesome practical effects and impressive cinematography.

But despite this, Spasojeviċ has not gone on to make a second feature film as yet.

‘Srdjan has been trying to get another movie made, and even though he’s talented, people hear “Oh, he made that movie” and put their wallet back in their pocket,’ Biro said.

‘We’re working on a screenplay ourselves. I will do everything I can to try to get Srdjan Spasojeviċ behind a camera again.’

On the outraged reactions A Serbian Film receives, he theorised: ‘You usually find the people who poo poo this movie have just read the Wikipedia page. It says an ex porn actor goes down a road that leads to necrophilia, pedophilia, and snuff, and that’s all they gotta read.

‘Most of the naysayers are the people who’ve never watched it.’

Even though A Serbian Film has a dedicated fanbase and horror has continued to evolve and push boundaries over the years, it still faces pushback from viewers and regulatory bodies alike.

‘In Australia, the day it was released, people were getting letters from the police telling them to send the movie to this address, or they could get into trouble,’ Biro told us of the original release.

‘And even now, with the documentary’s FrightFest screening, I had to send it to the Westminster Censorship Board so they could go over it and say it was allowed.

‘A Serbian Film is still banned in 38 countries, but I’ve seen Necromantik and Cannibal Holocaust available to stream.’

So why is it that A Serbian Film remains as taboo as it was when it was released? Biro thinks it is because the themes it deals with and how they are portrayed have stood the test of time.

‘It just hit the zeitgeist at the right time,’ he said. ‘People were celebrating more of the edgy stuff.

‘It’s not only about what the film represents, it’s that they went there. It’s shot so well, there is top-notch dialogue, and nothing feels forced.’

A Serbian Documentary has its world premiere at FrightFest 2025 at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 22.

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