synopsis
The film follows the events of the 1972 outbreak of smallpox in Yugoslavia, and the subsequent quarantine at Belgrade’s General Hospital. The film opens with a Kosovar pilgrim from Belgrade in the Middle East. He is in a bazaar, and buys a flute from a man who is visibly ill. Upon his return to Belgrade he becomes ill and is transported to the city’s General Hospital. His disease is initially misdiagnosed, and the smallpox virus (variola vera) quickly spreads through the hospital. Once the disease is correctly identified, the authorities attempt to control the outbreak by declaring martial law, enforcing quarantine, and enlisting the help of the World Health Organisation.Read More »