The film's ambitious three-part structure invites comparisons to classical literary and cinematic works.
Srđan Dragojević’s 2021 film Heavens Above ( Nebesa ) is a sprawling, triptych dark comedy that skewers the intersection of religion, capitalism, and morality in post-communist Eastern Europe. Spanning three decades—1993, 2001, and 2026—the film follows a group of characters through surreal "miracles" that reveal the opportunistic and often cynical ways people adapt ancient faith to modern greed. Miracles as Catalysts for Corruption
While the themes of greed are universal, critics note that the film’s specific brand of "raw force" and "corrosive nihilism" is deeply rooted in the post-Yugoslav experience. Heavens.Above.2021.MULTi.1080p.HMAX.WEB-DL.H264...
The plot is inspired by the works of French writer Marcel Aymé and mirrors the structural journey of Dante’s Inferno .
Dragojević uses these surreal events to critique the rapid transition from state atheism to fervent, often performative, religious nationalism. Miracles as Catalysts for Corruption While the themes
Each segment has a distinct visual palette, moving from the "unpretentious hullabaloo" of the 90s to a grandiose, "pristine brightness" in the final chapter.
Stojan, a simple man, unexpectedly grows a literal glowing halo after a freak accident. Rather than viewing it as a spiritual gift, his wife, Nada, sees it as a social nuisance. She forces him into a "curriculum in sin"—gluttony and adultery—to try and extinguish the light. Ironically, the more cruel and sinful Stojan becomes, the more the community respects him as a moral authority. Each segment has a distinct visual palette, moving
In the film's "futuristic" final act, miracles are fully commodified. Artworks are created that literally nourish the viewer, turning spiritual contemplation into a physiological transaction. This "Golden Calf" segment highlights how the sacred is eventually swallowed by consumerism. Themes of Post-Communist Identity