BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, FRANCE – 2022 – DCP – color – 122’

Direction: Aida Begic
Screenplay: Aida Begic
Cinematography: Erol Zubcevic ASBH
Editing: BuRedžinald Šimek
Set design: Emina Kujundžic
Costumes: Sanja Džeba
Cast: Marija Pikic (Meri), Jasna Žalica (Zafira), Slaven Vidak (Samir), Lana Stanišic (Adela), Milan Tocinovski (Hasan), Enes Kozli?ic (Kenno), Gaia Tanovic (Mila), Davor Golubovic, Amar ?ustovic
Producers: Adis ?apo, Aida Begic, Erol Zub?evic Produzione
Production: Film House Sarajevoin coproduzione con Les Films de l’Après-midi

SYNOPSIS

Merjem-Meri, an unambitious, 30-year-old homemaker and mother to 8-year-old girl Mila, moves back to her parental home after 10 years of marriage. Soon after, Meri realizes she is stuck in a circle of provincial rules and expectations and a complex relationship with her ambitious mother and spoiled younger brother. Her hope to get the custody of her daughter wanes from day today because she has no chance of finding a permanent job. The only thing that makes her happy, but also makes everyone else lookdown on her, is participation in an audition for a film role in her neighbourhood.

THE DIRECTOR: Aida Begic

Aida Begi? was born in Sarajevo. Her graduation film Prvo Smrtno Iskustvo(First Death Experience) was presented at The Cinéfondation in Cannes. Her debut feature Snijeg(Snow) won the Grand Prix at Semaine de la Critique and was nominated for a European Academy Award, Discovery Section. In 2009 she founded an independent production company Film House. Her 2nd feature film Djeca (Children Of Sarajevo) won Special Distinction of the Jury in Un Certain Regard 2012. She wrote and directed short film Album, part of omnibus Bridges of Sarajevo, premiered in Special Screening section in Cannes. Begi?is professor at The Academy of Performing Arts Sarajevo and she is member of AMPAS (American Motion Picture and Science Academy), EFA (European Film Academy), SACD (French Association for Cinema Authors) and UFRBiH (Bosnian Film Society).Her 3rd feature film Birakma Beni (Never Leave Me), about Syrian orphans, is screened and awarded at many festivals around the world. Her latest film A Ballad was selected at Sarajevo IFF.

FILMOGRAPHY
2001 Prvo Smrtno Iskustvo (First Death Experience, short)
2003 Sjever je poludio (North Went Mad, short)
2008 Snijeg (Snow)
2010 Do Not Forget Me Istanbul (codirected)
2012 Djeca (Children Of Sarajevo)
2014 Les Ponts de Sarajevo (Bridges of Sarajevo, segment Album)
2017 Birakma Beni (Never Leave Me)
2022 Balada (A Ballad)

AWARDS AND FESTIVALS

2022 Sarajevo IFF – Competition