Portrayal of youth violence in domestic cinematography over the past five decades

This paper aims to examine changes in the characteristics of violent behaviour among young people and societal reactions to it as depicted in domestic cinematography over the past five decades, focusing particularly on the impact of the social circumstances of the 1990s. A qualitative content analysis of four domestic films and two TV series revealed significant differences in the portrayal of violence before and after the wars in the former SFR Yugoslavia. Works released after the 1990s portray violence as normalised and ubiquitous among youth from all social backgrounds, with society and institutions appearing incapable or uninterested in solving the problem. A difference in the context of violence was also noted: in works from the 1970s and 1980s, young people resort to violence in conflict situations and self-defence, whereas in later works violence is even used for entertainment. Based on social and institutional reactions, it can be concluded that pre-war works warn the public about the consequences of violent behaviour, while later works highlight its neglect and inadequate sanctions. These findings point to the influence of social changes and value inversions on the perception and representation of youth violence in Serbian cinematography. They also emphasise the need for a deeper understanding of this phenomenon and its implications for the young population.