DRAVSKI BEAT

The documentary film Dravski Beat tells the story of an extraordinary and vibrant music scene that emerged in Maribor during the 1960s—an authentic cultural phenomenon unique within the former Yugoslavia. At the time, the city on the Drava River pulsed with the rhythms of beat music, a modern popular genre characterized by vocals and electric guitars. Its energy closely mirrored that of Liverpool, the birthplace of The Beatles. For this reason, Maribor of that era earned the nickname “the Yugoslav Liverpool.”

The film is a tribute to another time—to youth and to a small group of individuals who lived entirely for music. It was an era of enthusiasm, perseverance, and rebellion, when young musicians devoted all their free time to creating and performing. Once music took hold, its pull was irresistible; for many, it became the most important thing in their lives.

At the same time, Dravski Beat seeks to answer the question of why so many beat bands emerged specifically in Maribor. Musicians from that period point to the crucial role of radio: countless nights were spent listening to the legendary pirate station Radio Caroline, broadcasting from a ship in the North Sea. Thanks to this station, beat music was developing simultaneously in Maribor and Liverpool. While as many as 90 bands might perform in Liverpool over a single weekend, around 15 bands were active in Maribor. Just as Liverpudlians named their sound after the River Mersey, musicians in Maribor named theirs after the River Drava—thus, Dravski Beat was born.

A defining characteristic of the Maribor movement was that this music was created by young workers and secondary-school students. The film is therefore not only a musical document but also a valuable testimony to a generation that, with great passion and courage, created a cultural phenomenon that still resonates today as a symbol of creativity, freedom, and the power of music.

Credits

Screenwriter • Zdenko Kodrič
Director • Boris Jurjaševič
Director of Photography • Samo Podobnik
Picture and Sound Editor • Miloš Kalusek
Sound Designer, Recording Engineer & Colorist • Sandi Černoša
Production • Casablanca, 2025
Producer • Igor Pediček

The film was produced with the support of the Slovenian Film Centre
and co-produced with RTV Slovenija.