SRIJEDA / WEDNESDAY 20. 08. 2025.
www.sff.ba
Srce Sarajeva u rukama žirija / The Heart of Sarajevo in the Hands of the Jury
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SADRŽAJ
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TAKMIČARSKI PROGRAM - IGRANI FILM Svjetska premijera filma „Glava porodice“
COMPETITION documentary: LESIA DIAK I Had False Hope It Would Be Better
COMPETITION PROGRAMME - FEATURE FILM Regional Premiere of the Film “DJ Ahmet“
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MASTERCLASS RAY WINSTONE Where I Come From, You Never Give Up
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Documentary "Dance Arena: The Temple of Electronic Music" in the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival Programme
COMPETITION PROGRAMME - FEATURE FILM World Premiere of the Film “Man of the House“
FOTO GALERIJA: CRVENI TEPIH
COMPETITION FEATURE European Premiere of Family Therapy
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CONTENT
COMPETITION PROGRAMME- DOCUMENTARY FILM: IVETTE LÖCKER, Has their time come?
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TAKMIČARSKI PROGRAM- DOKUMENTARNI FILM: KRISTINA NIKOLOVA, Ovo nije dovoljno radikalno queer
NA PROGRAMU DANAS...
TAKMIČARSKI PROGRAM- DOKUMENTARNI FILM: IVETTE LÖCKER, Je li došlo njihovo vrijeme?
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TAKMIČARSKI IGRANI Europska premijera filma „Obiteljska terapija“
COMPETITION PROGRAMME- DOCUMENTARY FILM: KRISTINA NIKOLOVA, This is Not Radically Queer Enough
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CINELINK BOOKS Seven Regional Literary Works Are Looking for a Producer
MASTERCLASS RAY WINSTONE Tamo odakle ja dolazim, nikada se ne odustaje
PHOTo GALLERY: RED CARPET
TAKMIČARSKI PROGRAM - IGRANI FILM Regionalna premijera filma „DJ Ahmet“"
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CINELINK BOOKS Sedam regionalnih književnih djela traže producenta
TAKMIČARSKI DOKUMENTARNI: LESIA DIAK Imala sam lažnu nadu da će biti bolje
FOTO GALERIJA: FESTIVALSKI ŽIVOT
PHOTO GALLERY: FESTIVAL LIFE
Dokumentarni film "Dance Arena: The Temple of Electronic Music" u programu 31. Sarajevo Film Festivala
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Tamo odakle ja dolazim, nikada se ne odustaje
Dobitnik Počasnog Srca Sarajeva, britanski glumački veteran Ray Winstone, održao je na 31. Sarajevo Film Festivalu Masterclass te otkrio niz intrigantnih detalja iz svoje bogate karijere.
Masterclass
Ray Winstone
S karijerom duljom od četiri desetljeća, teško je zamisliti boljeg sugovornika za program Masterclass, jedinstvenu priliku za direktnu razmjenu znanja i iskustava s priznatim filmskim autorima na Sarajevo Film Festivalu, od Raya Winstonea. Veteran britanskog filma i televizije, koji je debitirao 1979. u drami „Ološ“ Alana Clarkea, a od tada je surađivao s brojnim slavnim rediteljima, kao što su Jonathan Glazer, Martin Scorsese i Steven Spielberg, to je i dokazao na Masterclassu održanom na 31. Sarajevo Film Festivalu. Ovogodišnji je dobitnik Počasnog Srca Sarajeva tijekom razgovora, koji je moderirala Alissa Simon, opisao svoj put od mladog boksača iz siromašnog predgrađa Londona do glumačkog barda, ovjekovječenog brojnim priznanjima kao što su British Independent Film Award i International Emmy za najboljeg glumca. Put koji je počeo – odbijanjem. „Odbijanje je sastavni dio glumačkog života. Što prije to naučite, to je bolje za vas“, izjavio je Winstone, prisjetivši se svojeg pokušaja da upiše glumačku školu. Na prijemnom je trebao izvesti Shakespearov tekst, koji kao mladić iz istočnog Londona i nije najbolje razumio, pa je odlučio obraditi ga na svoj način. Od mogućih 10 bodova, dobio je 1 za izvedbu, a 0 za maštovitost. „Nula za maštovitost!? Mogli su mi dati barem jedan bod jer sam sve promijenio“, još i danas glumac ne shvaća kako je mogao dobiti tako malo bodova. Ali je zato naučio da odbijanje nije loša stvar. „Pomislio sam, ako me ne žele, idem onda drugim putem. Neka se nose. Tamo odakle ja dolazim, nikada se ne odustaje, nego idemo dalje. Uostalom, što je odbijanje? Niste nestali, niste gotovi. Meni je to samo bio podstrek da dokažem, ne samo njima već i samome sebi, da to mogu napraviti“, kazao je Ray Winstone. Drugačijim putem je doista krenuo. Njegov hvaljeni debi u drami „Ološ“ Alana Clarkea odmah ga je predstavio kao specifičnog glumca čiji su likovi snažni i grubi, ali izuzetno kompleksni. „Moja izvedba u tom filmu nema ništa sa mnom, sve je to zasluga reditelja Alena Clarka. On me je vodio i sve pokazivao. To je bila moja glumačka škola“, priznao je glumački veteran. Ipak, od svih reditelja i glumaca s kojima je surađivao, najbolji glumački savjet dobio je od supruge Elaine. Naime, u punk filmu „Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains“ nudili su mu ulogu pjevača, a on doista nije znao ništa o pjevanju. „Jednostavno mi je rekla: 'Nisi pjevač, glumac si. Pa glumi.' I to je najbolji savjet koji sam dobio“, otkrio je britanski glumac. Glumiti je nastavio i to jako dobro. Nizali su se sjajni filmovi, kao što su „Nil by Mouth“ i „The War Zone“, ali svjetsku prepoznatljivost stekao je 2000. s filmom „Posljednja pljačka“ (možda i poznatijem po originalnom naslovu „Sexy Beast“), debiju Jonathana Glazera o umirovljenom kriminalcu kojega prisiljavaju na pljačku banke. „Kako smo se pripremali za taj film? S puno votke. I izležavanja na plaži u Španjolskoj“, izazvao je smijeh Winstone svojim odgovorom, ali odmah i ozbiljno dodao koliko je ponosan na taj film. „To je vjerojatno jedini film gdje nismo promijenili ni jednu riječ iz scenarija. Nije da nismo probali, ali čim bismo pokušali, ne bi funkcioniralo. Scenarij je bio napisan poput suvremenog Shakespeara“, kazao je britanski glumac. Jedna od njegovih nezaboravnih uloga svakako je ona u hvaljenom filmu „Pokojni“ Martina Scorsesea. Iako je zapravo jako malo trebalo da u filmu uopće ne glumi mafijaškog plaćenika, nego – policajca. „Sa Scorseseom sam se išao naći u nedjelju ujutro u jednom londonskom hotelu. Htio je da glumim policajca, ali nisam ja za policajca. To sam mu i rekao, pa predložio da mi da ulogu lika koji nije ni postojao u scenariju. Mafijaškog plaćenika koji bi omogućio da o mafijaškom šefu, kojeg glumi Jack Nicholson, doznamo puno više. Martyju, tako ga ja zovem, se svidio taj prijedlog, pa mi je dao ulogu, ali i uzeo kožnu jaknu. Naime, svidio mu se smeđi kožnjak koji sam nosio na našem sastanku, pa ga je nosio i moj lik u filmu“, otkrio je Winstone mali detalje iz svoje bogate glumačke prošlosti. Rad sa Scorseseom je sjajan, ali filmova kao što su „Pokojni“ sve je manje, pogotovo kada se gleda produkcija u Hollywoodu. „Kao i puno toga danas, sve se svodi na prodaju ulaznica. Na žalost, tako je i u cijelom svijetu. Svi mi volimo pogledati Marvelove filmove, zabavni su, ali nestaje sav ostali spektar filmova. Isto kao i društvene mreže. Danas morate biti na njima, jer producenti gledaju koji glumac ima veću bazu obožavatelja i tako daju uloge. I ja moram biti na Instagramu, a zapravo to uopće ne želim“, požalio se glumački veteran. Što će biti u budućnosti. Winstone već ima dogovoren niz uloga, tako i u gledanoj seriji „The Gentlemen“ Guya Ritchieja, ali se ne zamara koliko će biti uspješni. „Ne možete unaprijed razmišljati o tome kako će film ispasti. Ponekad ulogu prihvatite i samo da biste platili stanarinu. Ponekad puno očekujete, a završi sasvim drugačije. To je priroda ove zvijeri s kojom se bavimo. To je priroda glume“, objasnio je Ray Winstone na Masterclassu 31. Sarajevo Film Festivala.
The recipient of the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo, British acting veteran Ray Winstone, held a Masterclass at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival, where he revealed a series of intriguing details from his rich career.
Where I Come From, You Never Give Up
With a career spanning more than four decades, it is hard to imagine a better guest for the Masterclass program, an opportunity for direct exchange of knowledge and experience with acclaimed filmmakers at the Sarajevo Film Festival, than Ray Winstone. A veteran of British film and television, who made his debut in 1979 in Alan Clarke’s drama “Scum“ and has since collaborated with renowned directors such as Jonathan Glazer, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg, proved just that at his Masterclass at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival. This year’s recipient of the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo, in a conversation moderated by Alissa Simon, recounted his journey from a young boxer in a poor London suburb to a celebrated actor, honored with awards including the British Independent Film Award and the International Emmy for Best Actor. A journey, he noted, that began - with rejection. “Rejection is part of an actor’s life. The sooner you learn that, the better it is for you,” Winstone said, recalling his attempt to enroll in drama school. For his audition, he was required to perform a Shakespearean text, which, as a young man from East London, he did not fully understand—so he decided to interpret it in his own way. Out of a possible ten points, he was awarded one for performance, and zero for imagination. “Zero for imagination!? They could have at least given me one point since I changed everything,” the actor still cannot quite understand how he was scored so low. But he did learn that rejection is not necessarily a bad thing. “I thought, if they don’t want me, then I’ll go another way. To hell with it. Where I come from, you never give up, you just keep moving forward. After all, what is rejection? You haven’t disappeared, you’re not finished. For me, it was just motivation to prove, not only to them but also to myself, that I could do it,” said Ray Winstone. And he really did take a different path. His acclaimed debut in Alan Clarke’s “Scum“ immediately introduced him as a distinctive actor whose characters were tough and abrasive, yet profoundly complex. “My performance in that film had nothing to do with me—it was all thanks to Alan Clarke. He guided me and showed me everything. That was my acting school,” the veteran actor admitted. Still, of all the directors and actors he has worked with, the best piece of acting advice Winstone ever received came from his wife, Elaine. While preparing for the punk film “Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains”, he was offered the role of a singer, even though he knew absolutely nothing about singing. “She simply told me: ‘You’re not a singer, you’re an actor. So act.’ And that was the best advice I ever got,” the British actor revealed. And act he did - brilliantly. A series of outstanding films followed, including “Nil by Mouth“ and “The War Zone”. But it was in 2000, with Jonathan Glazer’s debut “Sexy Beast”, a story about a retired criminal forced into a bank heist, that Winstone gained worldwide recognition. “How did we prepare for that film? With lots of vodka. And lying around on the beach in Spain,” Winstone said, drawing laughter with his response, before quickly adding, in all seriousness, how proud he remains of the film. “It’s probably the only film where we didn’t change a single word of the script. Not that we didn’t try, but the moment we did, it just didn’t work. The screenplay was written like modern-day Shakespeare,” the British actor noted. One of his most unforgettable roles is certainly in Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed film “The Departed”. Yet it took very little for him not to appear in the film at all—at least not as the mob enforcer he ended up portraying, but rather as a policeman. “I met Marty, that’s what I call him, on a Sunday morning at a London hotel. He wanted me to play a cop, but I’m not a cop type. I told him that and suggested he give me a role that didn’t even exist in the script: a mob enforcer who would allow us to learn much more about the mob boss played by Jack Nicholson. Marty liked the idea, so he gave me the role, but also took my leather jacket. He liked the brown leather jacket I was wearing to our meeting, so my character ended up wearing it in the film,” Winstone revealed, sharing another small detail from his rich acting career. Films like “The Departed” are becoming rarer, especially when it comes to Hollywood productions. “Like so much today, it all comes down to selling tickets. Unfortunately, that’s the case worldwide. We all enjoy watching Marvel films, they’re fun, but the rest of the spectrum of cinema is disappearing. It’s the same with social media. Today, you have to be on it, because producers look at which actor has the bigger fan base when casting roles. I have to be on Instagram too, even though I don’t really want to be,” the veteran actor lamented. As for the future, Winstone already has a number of roles lined up, including one in Guy Ritchie’s hit series “The Gentlemen”, but he doesn’t dwell on how successful they might be. “You can’t think ahead about how a film will turn out. Sometimes you take a role just to pay the rent. Sometimes you expect a lot, and it ends up entirely different. That’s the nature of the beast we deal with. That’s the nature of acting,” Ray Winstone explained at his Masterclass at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival.
Masterclass Ray Winstone
Regionalna premijera filma „DJ Ahmet“
Regional Premiere of the Film “DJ Ahmet“
Takmičarski PROGRAM - igrani FILM • Competition PROGRAMME - Feature FILM
Director Georgi M. Unkovski led the film crew at the regional premiere of “DJ Ahmet” held at the National Theatre. The film is a story about a teenage boy from a remote Yuruk village in North Macedonia, finds refuge in music while navigating his father’s expectations. The cast includes Arif Jakup, Agush Agushev, Dora Akan Zlatanova, Aksel Mehmet, Selpin Kerim, and Atila Klince.
Reditelj Georgi M. Unkovski predvodio je filmsku ekipu na regionalnoj premijeri filma „DJ Ahmet“ održanoj u Narodnom pozorištu. Film je emotivna priča o tinejdžeru iz zabačenog sela Yurak u Sjevernoj Makedoniji, koji utočište pronalazi u muzici dok se nosi s očevim očekivanjima. U filmu glume Arif Jakup, Agush Agushev, Dora Akan Zlatanova, Aksel Mehmet, Selpin Kerim i Atila Klince.
Takmičarski PROGRAM - igrani FILM • VAN KONKURENCIJE Competition PROGRAMME - Feature FILM • OUT OF COMPETITION
Director Andamion Murataj led the film crew at the regional premiere of “Man of the House” held at the National Theatre. The film tells the story of Fran, an Albanian Virgin who has taken a vow to live a celibate life as a man, and now faces a difficult choice. The cast includes Drita Kaba Karaga, Alesia Ruçi, Bislim Muçaj and Astrin Alihajdaraj.
Svjetska premijera filma „Glava porodice“
World Premiere of the Film “Man of the House“
Reditelj Andamion Murataj predvodio je filmsku ekipu na svjetskoj premijeri filma „Glava porodice“ održanoj u Narodnom pozorištu. Film je priča Fran, albanskoj virdžini koja se obavezala živjeti u celibatu i kao muškarac, a iznenadno se nađe pred teškim izborom. U filmu glume Drita Kaba Karaga, Alesia Ruçi, Bislim Muçaj i Astrin Alihajdaraj.
Crveni tepih / Red Carpet
Glumica Safiyye Ingar / Actress Safiyye Ingar
Ekipa filma „Leptiri bez krila“ / Film crew of Butterflies Without Wings
Red carpet
Žiri takmičarskog programa - studentski film / Competition Programme Student Film Jury
Više fotografija možete pronaći OVDJE. More festival photos you can find HERE.
Žiri takmičarskog porgrama - igrani film / Competition Programme Feature Film Jury
Sergei Loznitsa, director
Rediteljica Hana Jušić u Sarajevo dolazi s filmom „Bog neće pomoći“ o neobičnoj Čileanki koja početkom 20. stoljeća dolazi u izoliranu zajednicu čobana u hrvatskim planinama tvrdeći da je udovica njihovog brata koji je emigrirao.
Emocionalna bliskost bez jezika
photo by Glorija Lizde
Hana Jušić Bog neće pomoći
„Bog neće pomoći“ vaš je drugi dugometražni igrani film. Nakon vrlo uspješnog prvijenca „Ne gledaj mi u pijat“, prikazanog u Sarajevu prije osam godina, kako vam je tekao proces rada na ovom filmu? „Ne gledaj mi u pijat“ imao je dosta bogat festivalski put, no u cijelom sam se procesu pomalo izgubila i iscrpila, činilo mi se „ok, sad sam napravila taj film i njime rekla sve što sam imala reći, to je to od mene“. Bojala sam se krenuti pisati nešto novo, a filmovi koje sam gledala putujući po festivalima nisu me inspirirali. Činilo mi se da svi pričamo iste ili barem slične priče i da ih sve mogu predvidjeti čim film počne. Tako da sam tek negdje 2018. ponovo krenula pisati, a htjela sam da to bude nešto skroz drugačije od svega što sam dotad radila, htjela sam napraviti meditativan i stilski zahtjevan film s elementima vesterna. Film ste razvijali na Torino ScriptLabu i na Cinéfondation rezidenciji. Kakva su bila ta iskustva i koliko su pomogli oblikovati film od početne ideje do završne verzije scenarija? Torino ScriptLab mi je bio zaista iznimno koristan najviše zbog mentorice Francoise von Roy koja me, što je rijetkost među mentorima na takvim radionicama i među skript doktorima općenito, poticala da scenarij ne stavljam u oprobane šablone, da ga ne činim „ispravnijim“, da se usudim napraviti film kakav sam krenula pisati. Tjedan dana nakon što sam došla na Cinefondation u Parizu počeo je vrlo strogi lockdown u kojem sam s pet potpuno nepoznatih ljudi provela dva i po mjeseca zatvorena u stanu. Tako da je to iskustvo bilo puno sličnije Big Brother kući nego umjetničkoj rezidenciji. Radnja filma smještena je na početak 20. stoljeća. Što vas je privlačilo tom povijesnom razdoblju kao vremenu radnje filma? Studirala sam engleski i jako voljela viktorijansku književnost, a uvijek sam voljela i filmove Jamesa Ivoryja. I tako sam se počela baviti idejom zašto ja ne bih napravila kostimirani film, naravno u povijesnom kontekstu vlastite zemlje. Osnovna polaznica u glavi bio mi je prizor žene u crnom kako luta nekim vrletima, po uzoru na Catherine Earnshaw iz „Orkanskih visova“. Tako sam je smjestila u dinarski kraj, jer mi je ideja transhumantnog stočarstva gdje pastiri provode ljeta izolirani u planini narativno vrlo intrigantna. S obzirom na vrijeme radnje filma, kako ste proveli povijesno istraživanje tog perioda? Kombinirala sam stručnu literaturu, etnografska kazivanja i književnost, ali ono što me najviše inspiriralo su razgovori sa starijim ljudima iz tog kraja o njihovom djetinjstvu ili obiteljskim predajama. Tu sam zaista pronašla scene koje sam izravno uključila u film, a i pastirski život mi je postao bliži i opipljiviji. Moja snimateljica Jana Plećaš, kostimografkinja Katarina Pilić i ja proveli smo nekoliko dana na Dinari s dvojicom pastira, bez struje i vode, odlazeći s njima na ispašu i provodeći večeri u kolibi dok vani zavijaju vukovi. Inače imam dojam da sam sve u životu naučila iz knjiga; nakon ovog istraživanja naučila sam cijeniti življeno iskustvo. Teresu, protagonisticu filma, igra čileanska glumica Manuela Martelli. Što vam je bilo najvažnije pri izboru glumice koja će utjeloviti Teresu? Manuelu sam vidjela još 2018. u filmu „Valparaiso“ Carla Sironija i ona je direktan povod zašto sam počela pisati film s glavnom junakinjom Čileankom; odlučila sam pisati ne misleći o tome hoće li se to ikada moći ostvariti, što je možda dobar savjet za scenariste, jer možeš biti slobodan i vidjeti što te autentično zanima. Kasnije je lakše rezati neizvedive stvari, kad ideja ojača u slobodnom okruženju. Budući da je Teresa nastala iz Manuele, a ne obratno, mogu reći da me privukla njena snaga, drčnost i neko zanimljivo divljaštvo u dječačkom tijelu. S obzirom da je strankinja, Teresin dolazak donosi dozu prijetnje i nemira u zajednicu. Kako ste gradili ostale likove u odnosu na Teresu? Bilo mi je bitno izgraditi likove koji se dobro snalaze u tradicionalno patrijarhalnom sustavu, kao i one koji su autsajderi u tom opresivnom društvu. Jednima je Teresa prijetnja i potencijalno disruptivni element, dok je Iliji i Mileni, svakome na svoj način, Teresa simbol potencijalnog bijega i spasenja. Oni su u svojoj vlastitoj zajednici stranci i Teresa kao strankinja koja priča drugim jezikom i dolazi iz mraka, bez korijena i ikog svog predstavlja šansu da je drugačiji svijet moguć, i to je zapravo neki pokretač čitave radnje. Jezična barijera igra veliku ulogu u filmu. Kako ste upravo to iskoristili kako biste stvorili odnos između glavnih junakinja koji je, usprkos jezičnoj barijeri, od početka pun razumijevanja? Jezik mi je bio iznimno bitan jer sam htjela istražiti komunikaciju i građenje emocionalne bliskosti bez jezika, htjela sam vidjeti kako Teresa i Milena i Teresa i Ilija upisuju jedni u druge, kako zrcale jedni druge, kako se istodobno osjećaju, ali i grade iluzije jedni o drugima. Također, htjela sam istražiti i nepoznavanje jezika kao osjećaja koji emigrantu budi nesigurnost i stavlja ga u inferiornu poziciju, kako se lako ljude jezikom alijenizira i od njih stvara prijetnju. Godine 2009. bili ste dio Sarajevo Film Festivala u sklopu Sarajevo Talents. Što najviše pamtite iz tog iskustva? Pamtim kako sam bila mlada i kako sam tek otkrivala suvremene art filmove. Sjećam se kako smo te godine gledali „Crnce“, prvi hrvatski film koji sam u kinu gledala s velikim ponosom, kako sam slušala masterclass Yorgosa Lanthimosa i mislila ovo je moj idol, kako sam gledala filmove „Parque via“ i „La nana“ koji su u meni rodili veliku ljubav prema latinoameričkom filmu. Sonja Tarokić i ja već smo tad krenule smišljati naš film „Pametnice“ koji smo snimile u sklopu projekta Sarajevo Grad Filma i meni je to do dan danas najduhovitiji i najdraži film koji sam snimila.
Takmičarski PROGRAM -igrani film
Takmičarski PROGRAM igrani film
COMPETITION PROGRAMME - FEATURE FILM -igrani film
“God Will Not Help” is your second feature film. After your very successful debut “Quit Staring at My Plate”, shown in Sarajevo eight years ago, how did the process of working on this film unfold? “Quit Staring at My Plate” had a fairly rich festival journey, but I felt somewhat lost and drained throughout the process. It seemed to me, “Okay, now I’ve made this film and said everything I had to say, that’s it from me.” I was afraid to start writing something new, and the films I watched while traveling to festivals didn’t inspire me. It felt like we were all telling the same, or at least very similar, stories, all predictable once the film started. So it wasn’t until around 2018 that I began writing again. I wanted this to be something completely different from anything I had done before, a meditative and stylistically demanding film with elements of a western. You developed the film at Torino ScriptLab and at the Cinéfondation residency. What were those experiences like, and how much did they help shape the film from the initial idea to the final script? Torino ScriptLab was extremely useful, mainly because of my mentor Francoise von Roy, who, encouraged me not to put the script into tried-and-true templates, not to make it “more correct,” and to dare to make the film I had set out to write. That is rarely among mentors at such workshops and script doctors in general. A week after arriving at the Cinéfondation in Paris, a very strict lockdown began, during which I spent two and a half months confined in an apartment with five complete strangers. That experience felt more like Big Brother than an artistic residency. The story is set at the beginning of the 20th century. What drew you to that historical period as the setting? I studied English and loved Victorian literature, and I’ve always loved James Ivory’s films. That led me to wonder why I couldn’t make a period costume film, naturally set in the historical context of my own country. The basic idea in my head was a scene of a woman in black wandering the wilds, inspired by Catherine Earnshaw from “Wuthering Heights”. I placed her in the Dinaric region because the concept of transhumant shepherding, where shepherds spend the summer isolated in the mountains, was narratively very intriguing to me. Considering the film’s time period, how did you conduct historical research for it? I combined scholarly literature, ethnographic accounts, and fiction, but what inspired me the most were conversations with older people from the region about their childhoods or family traditions. That’s where I found scenes I directly included in the film, and the shepherds’ way of life became closer and more tangible to me. My cinematographer Jana Plećaš, costume designer Katarina Pilić, and I spent several days on Dinara with two shepherds, without electricity or water, going with them to pasture and spending evenings in a hut while wolves howled outside. I’ve always felt that I learned everything in life from books; after this research, I learned to appreciate lived experience. The protagonist Teresa is played by Chilean actress Manuela Martelli. What was most important to you in choosing the actress to embody Teresa? I first saw Manuela in 2018 in Carlo Sironi’s film “Valparaiso”, and she was the direct reason I began writing a film with a Chilean protagonist. I decided to write without worrying whether it could ever be realized, which is perhaps good advice for screenwriters - you can be free and follow what genuinely interests you. Later, it’s easier to cut things that aren’t feasible when the idea has strengthened in a free environment. Since Teresa was born from Manuela, not the other way around, I can say I was drawn to her strength, boldness, and a certain wildness in a boyish body. As a foreigner, Teresa’s arrival brings a sense of threat and unrest to the community. How did you build the other characters in relation to her? It was important for me to create characters who are well-adjusted to a traditionally patriarchal system, as well as those who are outsiders in that oppressive society. For some, Teresa is a threat and a potentially disruptive element, while for Ilija and Milena, each in their own way, Teresa symbolizes potential escape and salvation. They are strangers in their own community, and Teresa, as a foreigner speaking a different language and coming from darkness with no roots or family, represents the possibility that another world is possible. That is actually a key driver of the entire plot. The language barrier plays a major role in the film. How did you use it to create a relationship between the main characters that, despite the barrier, is from the start full of understanding? Language was extremely important to me because I wanted to explore communication and the building of emotional closeness without language. I wanted to see how Teresa and Milena, and Teresa and Ilija, inscribe themselves into each other, how they mirror one another, how they feel simultaneously and construct illusions about each other. I also wanted to explore how not knowing the language can evoke insecurity in an immigrant, placing them in an inferior position, showing how easily language can alienate people and turn them into a threat. In 2009, you were part of the Sarajevo Film Festival through Sarajevo Talents. What do you remember most from that experience? I remember being young and just discovering contemporary art films. I recall watching “The Blacks”, the first Croatian film I saw in a cinema with great pride, listening to Yorgos Lanthimos’s masterclass and thinking, “This is my idol,” and watching films like “Parque Via” and “La nana”, which sparked my deep love for Latin American cinema. Sonja Tarokić and I were already beginning to develop our film “Pametnice”, which we later shot as part of the Sarajevo City of Film project. To this day, it remains the funniest and most beloved film I’ve made.
Hana Jušić God Will Not Help
Emotional Closeness Beyond Language
Director Hana Jušić is coming to Sarajevo with the film God Will Not Help, about an unusual Chilean woman who, at the beginning of the 20th century, arrives in an isolated shepherd community in the Croatian mountains, claiming to be the widow of their brother who had emigrated.
COMPETITION PROGRAMME - FEATURE FILM Hana Jušić God Will Not Help -igrani film
Kada se svjetla ugase, a projekcija počne, film nas sve povezuje. Zato nam je posebno zadovoljstvo što i ove godine, kao Glavni sponzor, imamo priliku biti dio Sarajevo Film Festivala, srca europske filmske scene. U UniCreditu vjerujemo da prava vrijednost leži u iskustvima koja nas inspirišu i zajedništvu koje gradimo kroz podršku kulturi. Volimo film. Volimo trenutke koji ostaju. I radujemo se novim, koje ćemo zajedno stvoriti. When the lights dim and the screening begins, film brings us all together. That’s why we’re especially proud to once again be the Main Sponsor of the Sarajevo Film Festival, the heart of the European film scene. At UniCredit, we believe that true value lies in the experiences that inspire us and in the sense of community we build through cultural support. We love film. We cherish the moments that stay with us – and we look forward to creating new ones, together.
Drugo izdanje CineLink Books Sarajevo Film Festivala predstavlja izbor izvanrednih naslova iz regije, pažljivo odabranih zbog njihovog visokog potencijala za filmsku i TV adaptaciju.
Cinelink Books
Sedam regionalnih književnih djela traže producenta
Sarajevo Film Festival pokrenuo je program CineLink Books s ciljem jačanja veza između izdavačkog i audiovizuelnog sektora bivše Jugoslavije. Uspješan početak 2024. godine već je rezultirao konkretnom saradnjom, pa je produkcijska kuća Antitalent iz Hrvatske otkupila prava na knjigu „Meduze žive zauvek dok ih ne uhvate“ Nađe Petrović, čime je CineLink Books potvrdio svoju misiju: istaknuti potencijal regionalne književnosti za adaptaciju i olakšati prijelaz djela sa stranica na ekrane. U ovogodišnjem izboru CineLink Books 2025. sedam je književnih djela, a odabrane knjige su na posebnoj sesiji tokom CineLink Industry Days 31. Sarajevo Film Festivala predstavljene etabliranim producentima iz regije i šire. Predstavljamo izbor CineLink Books 2025.: Balada o ubici i ubici i ubici, Dalibor Pejić (Geopoetika, Srbija) Sudbine troje neobičnih neznanaca isprepliću se kada se nađu u istom automobilu, na putu prema moru. Relja pokušava pobjeći od besmislenog života u gradu i ponižavajuće, transakcijske veze sa starijom ženom. Jana traži mir posjetom rodnom mjestu svog preminulog ljubavnika. Pepolo želi... pa, to ostaje misterija. Vječno nasmijani ljudski div izgleda kao da juri nedostižnog leptira kojeg samo on vidi. Kako se približavaju svom odredištu, na površinu izlazi mračna istina – svako od njih u prošlosti je ubio nekoga. Snovi nalik reminiscencijama otkrivaju ratne traume i epizode bespotrebnog nasilja. Bejturan i ruža, Aleksandar Hemon (Buybook, Bosna i Hercegovina) Kada jednog junskog dana 1914. nadvojvoda Franz Ferdinand uz veliku pompu stiže u Sarajevo, Rafael Pinto zaokupljen je mljevenjem bilja za pultom svoje apoteke. Pinto je daleko od pomisli da će sukob ogromnih razmjera zapaliti svijet. A onda svijet eksplodira... U rovovima u Galiciji, surovu stvarnost ratnog nasilja Pinto uspijeva preživjeti samo zahvaljujući pažnji saborca Osmana, svoga zaštitnika i ljubavnika, čovjeka od akcije i karizmatičnog pripovjedača, koji upotpunjuje Pintinu poetsku dušu. Zajedno bježe iz rovova, preživljavaju gotovo sigurnu smrt, susreću se sa špijunima i boljševicima, putuju preko planina i kroz pustinje, iz svijeta u svijet, stižući do Šangaja, i sve to samo zahvaljujući Pintinoj ljubavi prema Osmanu – kao i povremenoj upotrebi opijata. Ovaj lirski i potresni ep, prožet Hemonovom prepoznatljivom pjesničkom prozom, istražuje rat, opstanak, izgnanstvo i odanost. Bespotreban čovjek, Edin Salčinović (Vrijeme, Bosna i Hercegovina) Poigravajući se registrima popularne i šund-kulture, Salčinović u svom debitantskom romanu vješto pripovijeda, glasom novinara crne hronike, o graničnim područjima jedne moguće sarajevske stvarnosti. Bizarno samoubistvo ratnog veterana, neuspjela pljačka banke, slučaj pedofila ubice iz više klase, ubistvo punice iz klasnih pobuda te okultno ubistvo iz strasti. Ovaj hibridni roman otkriva Salčinovića kao jednog od rijetkih glasova koji se fluidno kreće između ironije i duboke filozofske refleksije. I onda opet, iz početka, Filip Grujić (Booka, Srbija) Centralni lik novog romana Filipa Grujića pravi je „junak našeg doba“, mladić na prelasku iz dvadesetih u tridesete, upravo izašao iz duge veze s nejasnom idejom šta želi od života. Njegova svakodnevica rastrzana između porodice (razvedeni otac i majka, njihovi novi partneri i njihovi vremešni, ali vrlo živopisni roditelji), prijatelja, djevojaka i obaveza, komične epizode, snažan autoironijski ton i bolno iskrena promišljanja o tome šta uopšte znači biti sretan u trećoj deceniji XXI vijeka, sve su to dijelovi kompleksne, ali majstorski složene literarne slagalice koju bez pretjerivanja možemo nazvati prvim pravim ozbiljnim milenijalskim romanom u srpskoj književnosti. Nakon dva hvaljena ranija djela, ovaj roman potvrđuje Grujića kao jednog od najznačajnijih savremenih glasova u regiji. Pitanje anatomije, Marina Vujčić (Fraktura, Hrvatska) Kada gospodin Florijan Bauer objavi zanimljiv oglas u kojem traži „ženu koja će mu milovati leđa - samo leđa“, on ne zna da će to preokrenuti njegov uređeni život. Jedina koja se odazvala, Veronika Vinter, bankarska službenica vođena znatiželjom i finansijskom potrebom, jednako je nespremna za promjene koje predstoje. Zajedno, oni se kreću kroz emocionalne barijere i otkrivaju neophodnost ljudskog dodira. Marina Vujčić u „Pitanju anatomije“ ispisala je neviđeno toplu ljudsku priču, s puno duhovitosti i humora. Samo jedna od, Petra Prtajin (Ljevak, Hrvatska) Za tinejdžere u urbanim sredinama, malo je stvari brutalnije od izolacije. Pia, koju su vršnjaci odbacili i maltretiraju je, pokušava da se uklopi - samo da bi bila još više ismijana. Sama i razoružana, povlači se u sebe. Ali prihvatajući svoj status izgnanice, otkriva neočekivana prijateljstva i krhku, marginalnu zajednicu. Ovaj moćni debitantski roman 21-godišnje autorice sa sirovom se iskrenošću bavi emocionalnim nasiljem adolescencije, a napisan je poetskim jezikom i neustrašivim glasom nove generacije. Zvezdana šuma, Jasminka Petrović (Kreativni centar, Srbija) Srdačna priča o prijateljstvu između usamljenog drveta po imenu Radoslav i energične vjeverice Dace. Kada Radoslav prizna da je tužan, Daca kreće da ujedini šumske životinje da mu pomognu. Inspirisane starom legendom o zvjezdanoj magiji, životinje sade sjeme i preko noći šuma procvjeta. Ova šarmantna priča bogata maštom, duhovitošću i toplinom, podsjeća mlade čitatelje na moć jedinstva, empatije i zajedničkog truda. Čarobna bajka za djecu i porodicu.
The second edition of CineLink Books showcases seven remarkable titles from the region, carefully selected for their high potential for film and TV adaptation.
Seven Regional Literary Works Are Looking for a Producer
Initiated by the Sarajevo Film Festival, the program strengthens ties between the publishing and audiovisual sectors across the former Yugoslavia. Following the successful launch in 2024, which already led to a concrete collaboration - Croatian production company Antitalent acquiring rights to Nađa Petrović’s Meduze žive zauvek dok ih ne uhvate (Geopoetika, Serbia) - CineLink Books reaffirms its mission: to highlight the adaptation potential of regional literature and facilitate the transition from page to screen. CineLink Books continues to spotlight the literary richness of the region and create fertile ground for collaboration between authors, publishers, and filmmakers. These stories - whether epic, intimate, dark, or whimsical - are ready for their next chapter on the screen. Selected books were presented in a special session during CineLink Industry Days, where they were pitched to established producers from the region and beyond. CineLink Books 2025 Selection: Balada o ubici i ubici i ubici / The Ballad of a Killer, and a Killer, and a Killer, Dalibor Pejić (Geopoetika, Serbia) The destinies of three unusual strangers intertwine as they find themselves in the same car, heading toward the seaside. Relja is trying to escape his meaningless city life and a degrading, transactional relationship with an older woman. Jana seeks peace by visiting the birthplace of her deceased lover. Pepolo wants… well, that remains a mystery. The ever-smiling human giant seems to be chasing an elusive butterfly only he can see. As they approach their destination, a dark truth emerges - each of them has killed someone in the past. Dreamlike flashbacks reveal war trauma and episodes of senseless violence. Bejturan i ruža / The World and All That It Holds, Aleksandar Hemon (Buybook, Bosnia and Herzegovina) On a June day in 1914, as Archduke Franz Ferdinand arrives in Sarajevo with great pomp, Rafael Pinto is grinding herbs behind the counter of his apothecary. He has no idea the world is about to erupt in flames. In the trenches of Galicia, Pinto survives the brutal reality of war only through the care of his comrade Osman - his protector, lover, and a man of action whose storytelling complements Pinto’s poetic soul. Together, they escape the trenches, survive near-certain death, encounter spies and Bolsheviks, travel across mountains and deserts, from world to world, all the way to Shanghai - driven by Pinto’s love for Osman and the occasional use of narcotics. This lyrical and haunting epic, infused with Hemon’s signature poetic prose, explores war, survival, exile, and devotion. Bespotreban čovjek / Waste Man, Edin Salčinović (Vrijeme, Bosnia and Herzegovina) In his debut novel, Salčinović blends the registers of pulp, noir, and social satire to narrate - through the voice of a crime journalist - the blurred borders of a possible Sarajevo reality. A bizarre suicide of a war veteran, a failed bank robbery, a case of an upper-class pedophile murderer, a mother-in-law killed due to class resentment, and a ritualistic murder committed out of passion. This hybrid novel reveals Salčinović as a rare voice who navigates fluidly between irony and deep philosophical reflection. I onda opet, iz početka / And Then, All Over Again, Filip Grujić (Booka, Serbia) The central character of Filip Grujić’s new novel is a true “hero of our time” - a young man transitioning from his twenties into his thirties, recently out of a long-term relationship, with no clear idea of what he wants from life. His everyday life - split between family (divorced parents and their new partners, colorful grandparents), friends, girlfriends, and responsibilities - unfolds through comedic episodes, strong self-irony, and painfully honest reflections on what it means to be happy in the third decade of the 21st century. A complex yet masterfully structured literary puzzle, this is arguably the first truly serious millennial novel in Serbian literature. Following two acclaimed earlier works, this novel confirms Grujić as one of the region’s most vital contemporary voices. Pitanje anatomije / The Anatomy Issue, Marina Vujčić (Fraktura, Croatia) When Mr. Florijan Bauer posts a curious ad seeking “a woman to stroke his back - only his back,” he doesn’t know it will upend his ordered life. The only respondent, Veronika Vinter, a bank clerk driven by curiosity and financial need, is equally unprepared for the changes ahead. Together, they navigate emotional barriers and discover the necessity of human touch. With elegant prose and gentle irony, Vujčić crafts a story about vulnerability, longing, and the redemptive power of connection. Samo jedna od / Lost in the count, Petra Prtajin (Ljevak, Croatia) For teenagers in urban settings, few things are more brutal than isolation. Pia, rejected and bullied by her peers, attempts to blend in - only to be ridiculed even more. Alone and disarmed, she retreats into herself. But in embracing her outcast status, she discovers unexpected friendships and a fragile, marginal community. Written by a 21-year-old author, this powerful debut novel tackles the emotional violence of adolescence with raw honesty, poetic language, and a fearless voice of a new generation. Zvezdana šuma / Starry Forest, Jasminka Petrović (Kreativni centar, Serbia) A heartwarming tale of friendship between a lonely tree named Radoslav and an energetic squirrel, Daca. When Radoslav confesses his sadness, Daca sets off to unite the forest animals to help him. Inspired by an old legend of star magic, the animals plant seeds, and overnight the forest blooms. This charming story, rich in imagination, wit, and warmth, reminds young readers of the power of unity, empathy, and shared effort. A magical fable for children and families alike. Initiated by the Sarajevo Film Festival, the program strengthens ties between the publishing and audiovisual sectors across the former Yugoslavia. Following the successful launch in 2024, which already led to a concrete collaboration - Croatian production company Antitalent acquiring rights to Nađa Petrović’s Meduze žive zauvek dok ih ne uhvate (Geopoetika, Serbia) - CineLink Books reaffirms its mission: to highlight the adaptation potential of regional literature and facilitate the transition from page to screen. CineLink Books continues to spotlight the literary richness of the region and create fertile ground for collaboration between authors, publishers, and filmmakers. These stories - whether epic, intimate, dark, or whimsical - are ready for their next chapter on the screen. Selected books were presented in a special session during CineLink Industry Days, where they were pitched to established producers from the region and beyond. CineLink Books 2025 Selection: Balada o ubici i ubici i ubici / The Ballad of a Killer, and a Killer, and a Killer, Dalibor Pejić (Geopoetika, Serbia) The destinies of three unusual strangers intertwine as they find themselves in the same car, heading toward the seaside. Relja is trying to escape his meaningless city life and a degrading, transactional relationship with an older woman. Jana seeks peace by visiting the birthplace of her deceased lover. Pepolo wants… well, that remains a mystery. The ever-smiling human giant seems to be chasing an elusive butterfly only he can see. As they approach their destination, a dark truth emerges - each of them has killed someone in the past. Dreamlike flashbacks reveal war trauma and episodes of senseless violence. Bejturan i ruža / The World and All That It Holds, Aleksandar Hemon (Buybook, Bosnia and Herzegovina) On a June day in 1914, as Archduke Franz Ferdinand arrives in Sarajevo with great pomp, Rafael Pinto is grinding herbs behind the counter of his apothecary. He has no idea the world is about to erupt in flames. In the trenches of Galicia, Pinto survives the brutal reality of war only through the care of his comrade Osman - his protector, lover, and a man of action whose storytelling complements Pinto’s poetic soul. Together, they escape the trenches, survive near-certain death, encounter spies and Bolsheviks, travel across mountains and deserts, from world to world, all the way to Shanghai - driven by Pinto’s love for Osman and the occasional use of narcotics. This lyrical and haunting epic, infused with Hemon’s signature poetic prose, explores war, survival, exile, and devotion. Bespotreban čovjek / Waste Man, Edin Salčinović (Vrijeme, Bosnia and Herzegovina) In his debut novel, Salčinović blends the registers of pulp, noir, and social satire to narrate - through the voice of a crime journalist - the blurred borders of a possible Sarajevo reality. A bizarre suicide of a war veteran, a failed bank robbery, a case of an upper-class pedophile murderer, a mother-in-law killed due to class resentment, and a ritualistic murder committed out of passion. This hybrid novel reveals Salčinović as a rare voice who navigates fluidly between irony and deep philosophical reflection. I onda opet, iz početka / And Then, All Over Again, Filip Grujić (Booka, Serbia) The central character of Filip Grujić’s new novel is a true “hero of our time” - a young man transitioning from his twenties into his thirties, recently out of a long-term relationship, with no clear idea of what he wants from life. His everyday life - split between family (divorced parents and their new partners, colorful grandparents), friends, girlfriends, and responsibilities - unfolds through comedic episodes, strong self-irony, and painfully honest reflections on what it means to be happy in the third decade of the 21st century. A complex yet masterfully structured literary puzzle, this is arguably the first truly serious millennial novel in Serbian literature. Following two acclaimed earlier works, this novel confirms Grujić as one of the region’s most vital contemporary voices. Pitanje anatomije / The Anatomy Issue, Marina Vujčić (Fraktura, Croatia) When Mr. Florijan Bauer posts a curious ad seeking “a woman to stroke his back - only his back,” he doesn’t know it will upend his ordered life. The only respondent, Veronika Vinter, a bank clerk driven by curiosity and financial need, is equally unprepared for the changes ahead. Together, they navigate emotional barriers and discover the necessity of human touch. With elegant prose and gentle irony, Vujčić crafts a story about vulnerability, longing, and the redemptive power of connection. Samo jedna od / Lost in the count, Petra Prtajin (Ljevak, Croatia) For teenagers in urban settings, few things are more brutal than isolation. Pia, rejected and bullied by her peers, attempts to blend in - only to be ridiculed even more. Alone and disarmed, she retreats into herself. But in embracing her outcast status, she discovers unexpected friendships and a fragile, marginal community. Written by a 21-year-old author, this powerful debut novel tackles the emotional violence of adolescence with raw honesty, poetic language, and a fearless voice of a new generation. Zvezdana šuma / Starry Forest, Jasminka Petrović (Kreativni centar, Serbia) A heartwarming tale of friendship between a lonely tree named Radoslav and an energetic squirrel, Daca. When Radoslav confesses his sadness, Daca sets off to unite the forest animals to help him. Inspired by an old legend of star magic, the animals plant seeds, and overnight the forest blooms. This charming story, rich in imagination, wit, and warmth, reminds young readers of the power of unity, empathy, and shared effort. A magical fable for children and families alike.
Film rediteljice Ivette Löcker emotivna je priča dvoje ljudi, koji se na svakom koraku spotiču o predrasude i austrijski sistem koji lomi migrante, ali je kao u bajci njihova ljubav jača od svih prepreka.
Ivette Löcker Doći će naše vrijeme
Je li došlo njihovo vrijeme?
Kako ste se upoznali sa Siakom i Victorijom i kako je došlo do snimanja ovog dokumentarca? Victoriju sam upoznala 2017. godine na filmskom festivalu u Grazu gdje je predstavila eksperimentalni film. Nekoliko godina kasnije, napisala mi je da se udala za Siaku, muškarca iz Gambije. Oboje su mi prišli s idejom da dokumentiramo Siakinu priču i njegova iskustva kao migranta. Osjećali su potrebu da podijele svoju priču na većoj razini. Kad sam upoznala Victoriju i Siaku kao par tijekom naših istraživačkih razgovora, odmah me fascinirala njihova zajednička karizma, snaga i ljubav. Brzo mi je postalo jasno da želim snimiti film o unutarnjem funkcioniranju međurasnog odnosa - perspektivi o kojoj mi, kao članovi većinskog bijelog društva, znamo premalo. Jako sam sretna što su njih dvoje pristali sudjelovati u filmu, iako im je izvorna namjera bila drugačija, i što smo se mogli posvetiti dokumentiranju njihovih zajedničkih života tijekom godine dana. Je li bilo situacija u kojima ste se morali suzdržati da se ne umiješate u žučne razgovore između supružnika? Koliko je teško biti promatrač kada se glasovi protagonista povise i mišljenja sudare? Sudionici nam daju intiman uvid u svoje živote i svjoa razmišljanja. Mislim da je to vrlo hrabro. Ovako intenzivan susret, koji može izazvati nepredvidive emocije i teme, čini ljude ranjivima. Unaprijed smo se dogovorili da bismo u konfliktnim situacijama mogli postaviti granice gdje bismo se mi kao filmska ekipa povukli i poštovali smo ih. Istovremeno, moja je namjera bila dati jednak prostor i jednom i drugom glasu. Kao redateljica, prirodno sam uključena u situaciju razgovora, ja sam dio nje. Kao redateljica, nemam neutralnu poziciju iz koje mogu „objektivno promatrati“. Pozicioniram se intervenirajući na određeni način, postavljajući pitanja ili čak prekidajući razgovor. Važno mi je da to bude transparentno u filmu. Ipak, nije uvijek lako izdržati te ambivalentnosti iza kamere. Siakin monolog o rasizmu izuzetno je dojmljiv i snažan. Kolika je moć filma u prenošenju njegove poruke, koliko film može pomoći liječenju ove strašne bolesti društva? Kada Siaka prepričava svoja iskustva sa rasističkim nasiljem, jasno možemo vidjeti i osjetiti da fizički ponovno proživljava te scene iz prošlosti - i to se prenosi na nas, gledatelje. Mislim da tu leži i snaga dokumentarnog filma: možemo podići svijest o problemu poput rasizma na narativnoj i emocionalnoj razini. Bilo nam je važno dati Siaki vremena i prostora da govori o svojim iskustvima. Siaka je žrtva rasizma, ali ga to nije slomilo - on poziva sve nas da se zajedno borimo protiv rasizma. Jer to zahtijeva sve, a posebno nas kao pripadnike većinskog bijelog društva. Film je prvenstveno namijenjen nama bijelcima, kako bi nam pomogao shvatiti kako može izgledati svakodnevni život oblikovan rasizmom. Živopisno vjenčanje u Gambiji gotovo da je film u filmu. To je priča puna vedrih boja i nepatvorene čistote siromašnih ljudi koji odraše tabane razdragano plešući u prašini. Kako je vama, kao promatračici iz Europe, izgledala ova oda životu i radosti? Bilo bi divno kada bismo imali više takvih boja u našim životima! Radost života ljudi u Gambiji, koji žive u daleko složenijim okolnostima od mnogih ljudi u Europi, je zarazna. Ljudi žive u društvenoj zajednici, a to kolektivno zajedništvo, koje je, zapravo, jedna velika obitelj, za mene predstavlja najveći kontrast našem izoliranom načinu života u Europi. U filmskoj sekvenci o Gambiji ipak smo pokušali obraditi pukotine i poteškoće: koliko je teško steći obrazovanje; pitanje dječjih brakova; odnos između Europljana i Afrikanaca, koji je uvijek obilježen nejednakošću. Na kraju, ali ne i najmanje važno, možemo osjetiti i da se Siaka već promijenio tijekom svog života u Europi, da i on traži način da živi s objema kulturama. Vaš se film završava bajkovito – dvoje vrlo različitih ljudi nadvladaju nedaće i istraju u svojoj ljubavi i zajedništvu. Uprkos svemu što je prijetilo da ih razdvoji njihov brak opstaje i biva krunisan preslatkom kćerkicom. Kako sada živi ova mala, sretna obitelj, je li došlo njihovo vrijeme? Victorijina i Siakina želja da budu obitelj se ostvarila. Njih troje sada žive zajedno u stanu u Beču koji vidimo u filmu. Siaka se brine o vrtu u dvorištu njihove kuće, zajedno sa susjedom. Victoria je pokrenula vlastiti posao sa svojim grafičkim dizajnerskim studijem. Siaka i dalje radi kao vrtlar. Njihova kći ide u vrtić. Ne znam je li kraj bajkovit - svakodnevni život je stalni izazov za svaki par i svaku obitelj, bez obzira na to koliko su velike ili male kulturne razlike. Ali ono što znam jest da su njih dvoje zajedno izgradili mnogo otpornosti kako bi se suočili s neizvjesnostima života i uživali u njegovim lijepim stranama. Marinela Domančić
TAKMIČARSKI PROGRAM- DOKUMENTARNI FILM
photo byJürgen Keiper
Takmičarski PROGRAM - dokumentarni FILM • Ivette Löcker • Doći će naše vrijeme
The film by director Ivette Löcker is an emotional story of two people who stumble at every step over prejudice and an Austrian system that crushes migrants, yet, like in a fairy tale, their love proves stronger than all obstacles.
How did you meet Siaka and Victoria, and how did the filming of this documentary come about? I met Victoria in 2017 at the film festival in Graz, where she presented an experimental film. A few years later, she wrote to me that she was now married to Siaka, a man from Gambia. Both approached me with the idea of documenting Siaka's story and his experiences as a migrant. They felt the need to share their story on a larger scale. When I met Victoria and Siaka as a couple during our research discussions, I was immediately fascinated by their shared charisma, strength, and love. It quickly became clear to me that I wanted to make a film about the inner workings of an interracial relationship - a perspective that we, as members of a white majority society, know far too little about. I am very happy that the two agreed to participate in the film, even though their original intention was different, and that we were able to devote ourselves to documenting their lives together over the course of a year. Have you experienced situations where you had to refrain from getting involved in heated conversations between spouses? How hard is it to be an observer when the voices of the protagonists are raised and opinions collide? The protagonists give us an intimate insight into their lives and their thoughts about them. I find that very courageous. This intense encounter, which can trigger unpredictable emotions and topics, makes people vulnerable. We had agreed in advance that there might be boundaries in conflict situations where we as a film crew would withdraw, and we respected those boundaries. At the same time, my intention was to give both voices equal space. As a director, I am naturally involved in a conversation situation; I become part of it. As a director, I do not have a neutral position from which I can observe “objectively.” I position myself by intervening in a certain way, asking questions, or even interrupting the conversation. It is important to me to make this transparent in the film. Nevertheless, it is not always easy to endure these ambivalences behind the camera. Siaka's monologue about racism is extremely impressive and powerful. What is the power of film in conveying its message, how much can film help cure this terrible disease of society? When Siaka recounts his experiences of racist violence, we can clearly see and feel that he is physically reliving these scenes from the past—and this is transferred to us, the viewers. I think this is also where the power of documentary film lies: we can raise awareness of an issue such as racism on a narrative and emotional level. It was important to us to give Siaka time and space to talk about his experiences. Siaka is a victim of racism, but he has not been broken by it – he calls on all of us to fight racism together. Because this requires everyone, especially us as members of the white majority society. The film is aimed primarily at us white people, to help us understand what everyday life shaped by racism can look like. A colourful wedding in Gambia is almost a movie within a movie. It is a story full of bright colours and unadulterated purity of poor people who reflect the soles of their feet dancing joyfully in the dust. How did this ode to life and joy look to you, as an observer from Europe? It would be wonderful if we had more of these colours in our lives here! The joie de vivre of the people in Gambia, who live in far more complicated circumstances than many people in Europe, is contagious. The people live in a social collective, and this communal togetherness - being one big family - represents for me the greatest contrast to our isolated way of life in Europe. In the Gambia film sequence, we nevertheless tried to address ruptures and difficulties: how difficult it is to get an education; the issue of child marriage; the relationship between Europeans and Africans, which is always marked by inequality. Last but not least, we can also sense that Siaka has already changed through his life in Europe, that he is also looking for a way to live with both cultures. Your film has a fairytale ending – two very different people overcome adversity and persevere in their love and togetherness. Despite everything that threatened to tear them apart, their marriage survives and is crowned with an adorable daughter. How this small, happy family lives now, has their time come? Victoria and Siaka's wish to be a family has come true. The three of them now live together in the apartment in Vienna that we see in the film. Siaka tends the garden in the courtyard of their house, together with their neighbour. Victoria has started her own business with her graphic design studio. Siaka continues to work as a gardener. Their daughter goes to kindergarten. I don't know if the ending is fairy-tale-like—everyday life is a constant challenge for every couple and every family, no matter how big or small the cultural differences are. But what I do know is that the two of them have built up a lot of resilience together to face the uncertainties of life and enjoy its beautiful sides. Marinela Domančić
Ivette Löcker Our time will come
Competition PROGRAMME - Documentary FILM
Has their time come?
Competition PROGRAMME - Documentary FILM Ivette Löcker Our time will come
Redateljica Kristina Nikolova bila je toliko impresionirana likom i djelima Ive Dimčeva da se, usred COVID pandemije, spakovala i iz Amerike došla u Bugarsku snimiti film o njemu - deklariranom gay, talentiranom pjevaču, ekscentriku i kreativnom slikaru, koji je na sve moguće načine provokativan, a snagu crpi iz nedaća koje ga prate od malih nogu.
Ovo nije dovoljno radikalno queer
photo by Martina Movrić
Na početku filma, Ivo kaže da ste malo konzervativni. Da li bi konzervativna osoba ikada snimila film o nekonvencionalnoj osobi poput Ive? Mislim da su svi konzervativni u usporedbi s Ivom. Važno je da postoji suradnja između redatelja i lika te spremnost na učenje. Ivo bi ponekad rekao: 'Ovo nije dovoljno radikalno queer', a ja bih pokušavala slušati, razumjeti i, na kraju, napraviti promjene. I vizualni i, posebno, auditivni snimak vašeg filma za online gledanje je izvanrednog kvaliteta. Svaki ton i svaka otpjevana riječ se razumiju. Koliko je Ivi bilo važno da su poruke koje šalje potpuno razgovjetne? Hvala vam. Cijelu video postprodukciju odradili smo u Avantpostu Rumunjska (prošle godine smo osvojili velikodušnu nagradu u sklopu CineLink Works in Progress na Sarajevo Film Festivalu), a postprodukciju zvuka napravio je dvostruki dobitnik nagrade Emmy, mikser za ponovno snimanje i dizajner zvuka Tom Paul u New Yorku. Ne mislim da Ivo previše mari za to koliko se njegova umjetnost razumije - zapravo, nedavno sam čula na internetu kako kaže da je nerazumijevanje ponekad dio umjetnosti. Ipak, mari za to koliko dobro zvuči njegova glazba. Za vrijeme COVID pandemije Ivo je održao četiri stotine živih, besplatnih nastupa u stanovima svih onih koji su im željeli prisustvovati. Dok su se svi sakrivali i štitili, on se otvoreno i neustrašivo izlagao. Svjedočili ste Ivinom utjecaju na ljude. Koliko često je djelovao inspirirajuće i oslobađajuće na publiku? Na većini nastupa nisam bila. Snimio ih je sam ili s asistentom i snimateljem. Gledala sam snimke i vidjela reakciju ljudi: plač od sreće ili od olakšanja, ples, pjevanje. Bilo je zaista inspirativno. Mogu reći da me gledanje njegovog nastupa tijekom pandemije inspiriralo da ga pratim s kamerom pet godina. E, takav mu je utjecaj. Ivina majka kaže da ga voli najviše na svijetu, no nije ga štitila kada ja je otac tukao niti podržala kada se očitovao kao gay. Roditeljska ljubav bi trebala biti bezuvjetna. Da li je Ivin ekscentrični život krik upućen roditeljima da ga prihvate onakvog kakav jeste? Ne bih rekla. Ivo je rođeni umjetnik, on nije sposoban živjeti u skladu s konvencijama. Toliko ga je koštalo da ostane vjeran tome, da bude ono što jest, ne vjerujem da bi iko platio takvu cijenu samo da pozove u pomoć. Ivo svima postavlja pitanje – da li biste radije bili u paklu sa Isusom ili u raju sa Donaldom Trumpom? Od pukih binarnih odgovora interesantnija su objašnjenja upitanih, a o Ivinom izboru nema nimalo dileme. Da li on zapravo pita da li biste u životu radije izabrali teži ili lakši put? To je zanimljivo tumačenje. Uveliko ovisi od toga koga pitate: za neke, raj s Donaldom Trumpom nije lak put. Za druge su oba načina borba. Bilo je zanimljivo čuti toliko različitih tumačenja ljudi, i to je dio snage Ivinih pitanja i provokacija publici. Marinela Domančić
Kristina Nikolova U paklu s Ivom
Takmičarski PROGRAM -dokumentarni FILM • Kristina Nikolova • U paklu s Ivom
At the beginning of the film, Ivo said that you were a bit conservative. Would a conservative person ever make a movie about an unconventional person like Ivo? I think everyone is conservative compared to Ivo. As long as there is collaboration between the director and character, and willingness to learn. Ivo would sometimes say, ‘This is not radically queer enough,’ and I would try to listen and try to understand, and eventually make changes. Both the visual and, especially, the audio recording of your movie for online viewing is of excellent quality. Every note and every word that was sung is clear. How important was it to Ivo that the messages she sends are completely understood? Thank you. We did all the video post-production in Avantpost Romania (we won this generous award last year as part of Sarajevo Film Festival’s Cinelink Works in Progress), and the sound post-production was done by two-time Emmy-award-winning Re-Recording Mixer and Sound Designer Tom Paul in New York. I don’t think Ivo cares too much about how understood his art is – in fact, I recently saw him say online that misunderstanding is sometimes part of art. He does care about how good his music sounds, though. During the COVID pandemic, Ivo gave four hundred live, free performances in the apartments of anyone who wanted to attend. While everyone tried to hide and protect themselves, he was openly and fearlessly exposing himself. You witnessed Ivo's impact on people. How often was it inspiring and liberating for the audience? I wasn’t there for most of them. He did them either alone or with an assistant and a camera person. I watched the footage and saw the reaction of the people – crying from happiness or from release, dancing, singing. It was truly inspiring. I can say for myself that seeing him perform during the pandemic is what inspired me to follow him with a camera for five years. Now, that's impact. Ivo's mother said that she loved him more than anyone else, but she did not protect him when his father beat him or support him when he came out as gay. Parental love should be unconditional. Is Ivo's eccentric life a cry to his parents to accept him as he is? I don’t think so. Ivo was born an artist, someone incapable of living within convention. It has cost him so much to stay true to that, to be who he is – I don’t believe anyone would pay such a price merely as a cry for help. Ivo asks everyone a question – would you rather be in hell with Jesus or in heaven with Donald Trump? More interesting than mere binary answers are the explanations of those asked, and there is no doubt about Ivo's choice. Is he actually asking whether you would rather choose the harder or easier path in life? That’s an interesting interpretation. It very much depends on who you ask: for some, Heaven with Donald Trump is not an easy path. For others, either way is a fight. It’s been interesting to hear so many people’s different interpretations, and that's part of the power of Ivo’s questions and provocations to the audience. Marinela Domančić
Competition PROGRAMME Documentary FILM
This is Not Radically Queer Enough
Kristina Nikolova In Hell with Ivo
Director Kristina Nikolova was so captivated by the character and work of Ivo Dimchev that, in the midst of the COVID pandemic, she left America for Bulgaria to make a film about him — an openly gay man, a gifted singer, an eccentric and imaginative painter, and provocative in every possible way, who draws strength from the hardships that have marked his life since childhood.
Competition PROGRAMME - Documentary FILM Kristina Nikolova U paklu s Ivom ”
Premijera filma „DJ Ahmet“ / Premiere of DJ Ahmet
Atmosfera na Perwoll zabavi / Atmosphere at Perwoll party
Teen Arena
Festivalski život / Festival Life
Projekcija filma „Tata“ / Screening of Tata
Open Air projekcija filma „Nevjeste“ / Open Air screening of Brides
Documentary Press Corner
EXIT Festival pokrenuo je Dance Arenu 2002. godine u rovovima Petrovaradinske tvrđave u Novom Sadu, a kroz više od dvadeset godina ta je pozornica postala kultnim mjestom ljubitelja elektronske muzike. Kroz arhivske snimke, nezaboravne setove i priče DJ-eva, kao što su Carl Cox, Nina Kraviz, Maceo Plex, Reiner Zonneveld, Denis Sulta, Blond:ish, Hot Since 82, Maria May, Stephan Bodzin, Tijana T i drugi, otkriva se magija mjesta koje svake godine okuplja desetine hiljada ljudi iz cijelog svijeta, stvarajući jedinstven doživljaj svitanja uz vrhunske zvuke elektronske muzike. Pored svog muzičkog i simboličkog značaja, Dance Arena je i jedno od najzahtjevnijih produkcijskih poglavlja EXIT festivala, čija izgradnja zahtjeva složenu logistiku i višetjednu pripremu, izazove o kojima u filmu govore dugogodišnji članovi festivalskog tima. Film stiže u godini kada EXIT slavi 25 godina postojanja, a kroz legendu o Dance Areni, dokumentarac bilježi ne samo trenutke sa ove monumentalne pozornice, već i sve ono što je tokom protekle 25 godina oblikovalo EXIT u ono što je danas – izvanvremensku lokaciju koja okuplja na stotine hiljada ljudi širom svijeta, pod okriljem zajedništva, muzike i slobode, na jedinstvenoj Petrovaradinskoj tvđavi. Nagrađivani autor kratkometražnih filmova, reditelj Ivan Đurović diplomirao je režiju na Sveučilištu Columbia u New Yorku. Uz film „Dance Arena: The Temple of Electronic Music“, autor je i dokumentarnog filma o EXIT festivalu, koji je trenutno u postprodukciji. Ondemand.kinomeetingpoint.ba službena je VOD platforma Sarajevo Film Festivala te centralno mjesto na kojem publika iz Bosne i Hercegovine, ali i ljubitelji filma u regionu i svijetu, mogu pratiti odabrane filmova sa 31. Sarajevo Film Festivala. 31. Sarajevo Film Festival održava se od 15. do 22. augusta 2025. godine. EXIT Festival pokrenuo je Dance Arenu 2002. godine u rovovima Petrovaradinske tvrđave u Novom Sadu, a kroz više od dvadeset godina ta je pozornica postala kultnim mjestom ljubitelja elektronske muzike. Kroz arhivske snimke, nezaboravne setove i priče DJ-eva, kao što su Carl Cox, Nina Kraviz, Maceo Plex, Reiner Zonneveld, Denis Sulta, Blond:ish, Hot Since 82, Maria May, Stephan Bodzin, Tijana T i drugi, otkriva se magija mjesta koje svake godine okuplja desetine hiljada ljudi iz cijelog svijeta, stvarajući jedinstven doživljaj svitanja uz vrhunske zvuke elektronske muzike. Pored svog muzičkog i simboličkog značaja, Dance Arena je i jedno od najzahtjevnijih produkcijskih poglavlja EXIT festivala, čija izgradnja zahtjeva složenu logistiku i višetjednu pripremu, izazove o kojima u filmu govore dugogodišnji članovi festivalskog tima. Film stiže u godini kada EXIT slavi 25 godina postojanja, a kroz legendu o Dance Areni, dokumentarac bilježi ne samo trenutke sa ove monumentalne pozornice, već i sve ono što je tokom protekle 25 godina oblikovalo EXIT u ono što je danas – izvanvremensku lokaciju koja okuplja na stotine hiljada ljudi širom svijeta, pod okriljem zajedništva, muzike i slobode, na jedinstvenoj Petrovaradinskoj tvđavi. Nagrađivani autor kratkometražnih filmova, reditelj Ivan Đurović diplomirao je režiju na Sveučilištu Columbia u New Yorku. Uz film „Dance Arena: The Temple of Electronic Music“, autor je i dokumentarnog filma o EXIT festivalu, koji je trenutno u postprodukciji. Ondemand.kinomeetingpoint.ba službena je VOD platforma Sarajevo Film Festivala te centralno mjesto na kojem publika iz Bosne i Hercegovine, ali i ljubitelji filma u regionu i svijetu, mogu pratiti odabrane filmova sa 31. Sarajevo Film Festivala. 31. Sarajevo Film Festival održava se od 15. do 22. augusta 2025. godine.
Dokumentarni film „Dance Arena: The Temple of Electronic Music“ u programu 31. Sarajevo Film Festivala
Kratkometražni dokumentarni film „Dance Arena: The Temple of Electronic Music“ u programu je 31. Sarajevo Film Festivala. Film reditelja Ivana Đurovića, koji vodi iza kulisa jedne od najpoznatijih svjetskih festivalskih pozornica - Exitove Dance Arene, dostupan je besplatno publici širom svijeta na online platformi Ondemand.kinomeetingpoint.ba, do 22. augusta.
The short documentary “Dance Arena: The Temple of Electronic Music“ will be shown as part of the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival. Directed by Ivan Đurović, the film takes viewers behind the scenes of one of the world’s most renowned festival stages, EXIT’s Dance Arena, and is available to audiences free of charge worldwide on the online platform Ondemand.kinomeetingpoint.ba.
Documentary “Dance Arena: The Temple of Electronic Music” in the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival Programme
EXIT Festival launched the Dance Arena in 2002 in the trenches of Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, and over more than two decades, the stage has become a cult site for electronic music fans. Through archival footage, unforgettable sets, and stories from DJs such as Carl Cox, Nina Kraviz, Maceo Plex, Reiner Zonneveld, Denis Sulta, Blond:ish, Hot Since 82, Maria May, Stephan Bodzin, Tijana T, and many others, the film reveals the magic of a place that gathers tens of thousands of people from around the world each year, creating a unique experience of sunrise to the finest sounds of electronic music. Beyond its musical and symbolic significance, the Dance Arena is also one of the most demanding production segments of the EXIT Festival, whose construction requires complex logistics and weeks of preparation, challenges described in the film by long-standing members of the festival team. The film arrives in a year when EXIT celebrates its 25th anniversary. Through the legend of the Dance Arena, the documentary not only captures moments from this monumental stage but also reflects on everything that has shaped EXIT over the past 25 years into what it is today, an eternal gathering place for hundreds of thousands of people from around the world, united under the spirit of togetherness, music, and freedom, at the unique Petrovaradin Fortress. Award-winning short film director Ivan Đurović graduated in directing from Columbia University in New York. In addition to “Dance Arena: The Temple of Electronic Music”, he is also the author of a documentary about the EXIT Festival, currently in post-production. Ondemand.kinomeetingpoint.ba is the official VOD platform of the Sarajevo Film Festival and the central hub where audiences in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as film lovers across the region and worldwide, can watch selected films from the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival. The 31st Sarajevo Film Festival is taking place from 15 to 22 August 2025. EXIT Festival launched the Dance Arena in 2002 in the trenches of Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, and over more than two decades, the stage has become a cult site for electronic music fans. Through archival footage, unforgettable sets, and stories from DJs such as Carl Cox, Nina Kraviz, Maceo Plex, Reiner Zonneveld, Denis Sulta, Blond:ish, Hot Since 82, Maria May, Stephan Bodzin, Tijana T, and many others, the film reveals the magic of a place that gathers tens of thousands of people from around the world each year, creating a unique experience of sunrise to the finest sounds of electronic music. Beyond its musical and symbolic significance, the Dance Arena is also one of the most demanding production segments of the EXIT Festival, whose construction requires complex logistics and weeks of preparation, challenges described in the film by long-standing members of the festival team. The film arrives in a year when EXIT celebrates its 25th anniversary. Through the legend of the Dance Arena, the documentary not only captures moments from this monumental stage but also reflects on everything that has shaped EXIT over the past 25 years into what it is today, an eternal gathering place for hundreds of thousands of people from around the world, united under the spirit of togetherness, music, and freedom, at the unique Petrovaradin Fortress. Award-winning short film director Ivan Đurović graduated in directing from Columbia University in New York. In addition to “Dance Arena: The Temple of Electronic Music”, he is also the author of a documentary about the EXIT Festival, currently in post-production. Ondemand.kinomeetingpoint.ba is the official VOD platform of the Sarajevo Film Festival and the central hub where audiences in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as film lovers across the region and worldwide, can watch selected films from the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival. The 31st Sarajevo Film Festival is taking place from 15 to 22 August 2025.
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PREŽIVJELA ZEMLJA / SURVIVING EARTH United Kingdom, 2025, 100 min. Directors: Thea Gajić Starring: Slavko Sobin, Olive Gray, Stuart Martin, Peter Coonan Toni Gojanović, Ann Ogbomo
OPEN AIR PREMIERE
Mali majmun Akiko živi u zoološkom vrtu. Njegova porodica šalje ga u svijet sa zadatkom da u šumi pronađe svoje rođake i zamoli ih da oslobode životinje iz zoološkog vrta. Akiko the little monkey lives in the zoo. His family sends him out into the world, where his task is to find his relatives in the forest and ask them to free the animals from the zoo.
Jugoslavenski harmonikaš gradi novi život kao izbjeglica u Bristolu gdje osniva balkanski muzički bend, ali stare traume prijete da unište odnos i delikatni mir koji je postigao s vlastitom kćerkom. A Yugoslav refugee and harmonica player in Bristol builds a new life and forms a Balkan music band, but past trauma threatens to destroy his relationships and the delicate peace he's found with his daughter.
DJEČIJI PROGRAM
Na programu danas... / On today's schedule...
PLAVA STAZA / THE BLUE TRAIL Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Netherlands, 86 min. Director: Gabriel Mascaro Cast: Denise Weinberg, Rodrigo Santoro, Miriam Socarrás, Adanilo .
Hladniji od leda, njen poljubac probada srce… Sedamdesete su godine prošlog stoljeća, odbjegla Jeanne pada pod utjecaj Cristine, enigmatične zvijezde filma „Zimska kraljica“, koji se snima u studiju u kojem je Jeanne pronašla utočište. Uzajamna fascinacija glumice i djevojčice sve više raste. Colder than ice, her kiss pierces the heart… The 1970s. Runaway Jeanne falls under the spell of Cristina, the enigmatic star of "The Snow Queen," a film being shot in the studio where Jeanne has taken refuge. A mutual fascination grows between the two.
KINOSCOPE SURREAL
KULA OD LEDA / THE ICE TOWER France, Germany, 2025, 117 min. Director: Lucile Hadzihalilovic Cast: Marion Cotillard, Clara Pacini, August Diehl, Gaspar Noé, Marine Gesbert, Lilas-Rose Gilberti
SUMMER SCREEN
Sedamdesetsedmogodišnja Tereza čitav život provela je u malom industrijalizovanom gradu u Amazonu, a onda joj vlasti jednoga dana naređuju da se mora preseliti u stambenu koloniju za penzionere. Kolonija je smještena u izolovanom području, a penzionere se tamo šalje kako bi „uživali“ u finalnim godinama svojih života i oslobodili mlade da se fokusiraju na razvoj i produktivnost. Tereza odbija prihvatiti nametnutu joj sudbinu. Umjesto toga, kreće na putovanje rijekama i pritokama Amazona da bi sebi ispunila posljednju želju prije nego što joj bude oduzeta sloboda. Ta odluka će trajno promijeniti njenu sudbinu. At seventy-seven, Tereza has lived her whole life in a small industrialised town in the Amazon. One day, she receives an official government order to relocate to a seniors' housing colony. The colony is an isolated area where the elderly are brought to "enjoy" their final years, freeing the younger generation to focus on productivity and growth. Tereza refuses to accept this imposed fate. Instead, she embarks on a transformative journey through the rivers and tributaries of the Amazon to fulfill one last wish before her freedom is taken away—a decision that will change her destiny forever.