ABOUT 7TH ANNUAL BOSNIAN-HERZEGOVINIAN FILM FESTIVAL - 2010
The seventh annual Bosnian-Herzegovinian Film Festival took place May 14 and 15, 2010 at Tribeca Cinemas.
Eight films were screened from many corners of the world -- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, United Kingdom and United States.
The selection of films included the U.S. premieres of "One more tonight," portraying the tragic death of a Somalian cabbie and a family man in Melbourne, and "Anyone," a poetic reflection on Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Other films showcased at BHFF 2010 explored various topics: the struggle to prosecute war criminals ("The Storm"); coming back home only to find another refugee living there ("The Ruin"); the aftermath of violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina throgh the prism of railway travel ("The Reed Trains"); sevdah as an emotional, musical, lyrical and visual journey through the soul of Bosnia ("Sevdah"); the secrets surrounding one of New York City's dwellings ("Apparition") and the ancient pyramids in a small town in Bosnia ("Buried Land"). A number of films have been praised at other film festivals around the globe.
BHFF 2010 also featured a well-attended Q&A with filmmakers from "Apparition" (Sabina Vajraca), "The Reed Trains" (Amir Husak) and the "Buried Land" (Geoffrey Alan Rhodes and Chris Ernst).
Besides these filmmakers, other prominent guests included Mirsada Colakovic, Minister Counsellor, Deputy Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations; representatives from the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the United Nations; Zlata Filipovic, author of the international bestseller Zlata's Diary; Nebojša Šeric Shoba, a New-York based visual artist, as well as the singer-songwriter Jess King.
The festival concluded with the awards ceremony. "Sevdah" won the Audience Award for the Best Documentary Film and "Storm" won the Best Short or Feature Film Audience Award.
BHFF wishes to thank corporate sponsor Woolly Boo (http://woollyboo.com/) and individual donors, all the volunteers and participating filmmakers, distributors, media partners, production companies, Tribeca Cinemas, DJs Dare and Kurt, photographer Vadim Krisyan and others.
Among media partners, BHFF also wishes to thank Radio Voice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BATV, Europa magazine, Kulporter, Radio M, Radio TNT, Sabah and Start.
Sponsors
Wooly Boo
BHFF 2010 PROGRAM
THE RUIN
(Zgarište)
2009 | Amra Mehić | 11 min
Short Fiction
A middle-aged refugee returns to his pre-war house ten years after fleeing, determined to burn it down and erase the painful memory. But the house is not empty, and he comes face to face with a man who fled his own nightmare to start a new life there.
STORM
2009 | Hans-Cristian Schmid | 105 min
Feature
Hannah Maynard, a prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal, is leading a trial against a former Yugoslavian National Army commander who is accused of the mass murder of Bosnian Muslim civilians. When a key witness is ensnared in the contradictions of his testimony, the Tribunal sends a delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Shortly afterwards, his body is found. Hoping to uncover new findings, Hannah travels to the witness' burial in Sarajevo and meets his sister Mira, soon discovering that Mira has much more to say about the defendant. This suspenseful thriller has won German Film Critics Award, as well as awards at Berlin International Film Festival and Munich Film Festival.
APPARITION
2009 | Sabina Vajrača | 13 min
Short Fiction
Anne is determined to find a place to call home, but she soon discovers that New York City's realty market is satiated with sleazy brokers, strange roommates and scary dwellings. Even the perfect place she eventually finds has a secret of its own. Official selection at Los Angeles Shorts Fest, Miami Shorts Film Festival, Orlando Film Festival, 360/365 Film Festival, BOFF3 Babelgum Online Film Festival shortlist and Winner of Bronze Palm at 2009 Mexico International Film Festival.
THE REED TRAINS
(Vozovi svirači)
2009 | Amir Husak | 10 min
Documentry
This essay film examines the aftermath of violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the prism of railway travel. Once a complex network that provided connections to many European cities, Bosnia’s railroad suffered an intense period of destruction in the early 90s. Driven by a largely autobiographical text from one the country’s most promising young writers, the film blends the personal and political in a story about trains and coming of age in a city under siege. The Reed Trains, which was screened at the Sarajevo Film Festival and Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, also won the Best in Show and a Dorothy Hirshon Award at the Mixed Messages graduate showcase at The New School.
SEVDAH
2009 | Marina Andree | 66 min
Documentary
Sevdah is a feeling about life that is imbued with melancholy, yearning and beautiful sorrow. In Bosnia and Herzegovina it is expressed through the traditional type of song, sevdalinka. The death of their mutual friend and passionate fan of sevdalinka brings musician Damir and director Marina together. Trying to confront their loss, they create a film about sevdah as an emotional, musical, lyrical and visual journey through the soul of Bosnia. Winner of the Audience Award at Sarajevo Film Festival, Sevah was also screened at film festivals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Sweden, Turkey and United States.
ONE MORE TONIGHT
2010 | Al Mehičević | 15 min
Short Fiction
One More Tonight is based on a true story. Abdo, a Somalian refugee, Melbourne cabbie, husband and father, drives a taxi every night to support his family. Abdo is stretched; each fare means more money and less time with his family. One night, one more fare concludes in tragedy. That night, after so many hours transporting Melbourne’s night revelers, he wishes to be at home with his wife and child. But, Abdo takes a dodgy fare. Time cannot be reversed; too many unspoken words, too many lost moments and so much heartbreak become the conclusion of Abdo’s new Australian life. One More Tonight will be screened at St Kilda Film Festival as part of the Top 100.
ANYONE
(Iko)
2009 | Timur Makarević | 22 min
Documentary
Anyone is another view on Bosnia and Herzegovina; a reflection, without people, without words. Escapism or exploration? Probably both. This is the film’s U.S. Premiere. It was screened as part of the Sarajevo Film Festival Competition Programme. Timur Makarevic is an award-winning director. What Do I Know, which he directed together with Šejla Kameric, won awards in Croatia and Turkey; his short film The Wake won a special mention by the Sarajevo Film Festival jury.
BURIED LAND
2010 | Steven Eastwood and Geoffrey Alan Rhodes | 86 min
Narrative Feature
In 2006, the media around the world announced the discovery of ancient pyramids – not in Egypt but in the tiny village of Visoko in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A fictional film in a real community, Buried Land is the story of one man’s return to his homeland to discover the truth behind the claims. This is a story of the power of faith, imagination and community, and of the futility of looking for absolute truths, in life, and in movies. The film was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival. At the end of the screening block, BHFF 2010 will feature a Q&A with filmmakers.
