The Marathon Family (Serbian: Маратонци трче почасни круг / Maratonci trče počasni krug, lit. Marathon Runners Do a Lap of Honour, or often simply Maratonci, lit. The Marathon Runners) is a 1982 Yugoslav black comedy film written by Dušan Kovačević and directed by Serbian director Slobodan Šijan. It has become a cult film in Serbia and other countries from the former Yugoslavia region and is regarded as one of the classics of Yugoslav Serbian cinematography.The film depicts a family of undertakers with a dark secret. Instead of creating new coffins for their customers, they use a graverobbing operation to acquire old ones from the cemetery. They are increasingly indebted to a local hoodlum for his services. Following the death of the head-of-the family, conflict starts between the family and their former business partner. The youngest member of the family kills his cheating girlfriend in a jealous rage, and then claims the family's leadership for himself. His term in office starts with a brutal showdown with the hoodlum and a police chase.