Who was Darko Buzov? Makers of Oscar-nominated Short The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent mourn death of subject’s son

The Oscar-nominated short film The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent and its filmmaking team experience both joy and despair. Darko Buzov, the film’s subject, Tomo Buzov’s son, died on February 27, 2025, at 52.

His death occurred precisely 32 years after his father made the ultimate sacrifice, by standing up to injustice during the Bosnian War.

Darko Buzov was the only son of Tomo Buzov, a retired officer in the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) who in 1993 was one of 19 passengers taken hostage from a passenger train traveling between Belgrade and Bar.

According to Blic News, the group that abducted them had specifically targeted Bosnian Muslim passengers, but Tomo Buzov, who isn't Muslim, stood in solidarity with those being taken. The man’s act of bravery cost him his own life.

Darko and his family tried to keep his father’s memory alive. His mother, Koviljka Buzov, long waited to have a memorial site where she could pay tribute to her husband.

Darko talked about his father’s sacrifice in interviews, emphasizing that he felt no hatred or desire for revenge. Instead, he took comfort from knowing that his father died protecting another human life (NIN News). He said:

"I have never felt the desire for revenge. Revenge is never sweet; it always drags you into something even darker. Nor have I felt hatred."

Just a day before his death, Darko Buzov had stepped in front of the television cameras for the first time, speaking of his father’s heroism. He had appeared on an episode of the series Verified, which aired on Nova TV, discussing his views on his father's deeds and about The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, a short film.

The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent and its Oscar Journey

Inspired by Buzov’s bravery, the Croatian filmmaker Nebojša Slijepčević made a short film, The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, re-enacting what happened that day.

The film won the Palme d’Or for Best Short Film at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and has since been nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards.

According to Deadline, instead of portraying the story through Tomo Buzov, the film approaches it through the eyes of another passenger, one who offers to protect a young Bosnian Muslim man but remains silent, doing nothing.

The success of The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent has revived interest in the Štrpci massacre, in which paramilitary forces killed 18 Bosnian Muslims and Tomo Buzov after hijacking the train.