Film: Dir. Jasmila Zbanic - Grbavica

Dir. Jasmila Zbanic
Grbavica
[ Drama ]









Much as I'd love to consider myself a connoisseur of the big screen, I have to confess that my experiences with Bosnia-Herzegovinan cinema are few and far between (read: non-existent). In fact, my knowledge of the area's politics was embarrassingly limited until a quick scan of Wikipedia revealed all: Serbs and Bosnians hate each other and a guy with a funny name killed a load of folks.

Perhaps this detailed historical insight can go some way to explaining why Jasmila Zbanic's Grbavica has yet to see a release in areas with a high concentration of Serbs, or perhaps the film is just so charmingly low-budget that the film makers can barely distribute it outside their own back yard. After all, I saw a "premiere" of Grbavica (a.k.a. Esma's Secret in Britain) nearly ten months after its original release date.

As those of you with access to exclusive screenings at certain film festivals may recall, the film scooped Berlin's Golden Bear - perhaps the most prestigious award in independent cinema - back in February. For those of us mere mortals, however, Grbavica seems to have slipped under the radar. On mentioning the film to my peers I rightly anticipated the blank looks and puzzled expressions; indeed, I only saw the film on impulse after happening upon a conveniently placed poster that advertised the film's critical success.

Though the point of Grbavica is to reflect on the horrors of the area's history (large parts focus on a rape victims' support group), there is an underlying plot which drives the movie. Sara (Luna Mijovic) is preparing to go on a school trip under the assumption that, because she has been told her father is a war hero, she will be able to go free of charge under a special scheme that rewards sacrifices made in the Balkan War. All she needs to do is produce a certificate to the school that proves her father's martyrdom and all will be well. However, her mother Esma (the one with the secret, remember?), played by veteran Mirjana Kiranovic, insists on paying full price for the trip and claims she has "lost" said certificate.

While the plot may seem a little simplistic (and the twist more than a little obvious), the narrative drive in Grbavica is only intended to keep the story focussed while the relationships between the different characters are explored. Mijovic and Kiranovic effectively portray the complex relationship between a parent and an adolescent, seamlessly juxtaposing blistering rows with quieter, more heart-warming moments. In the opening scene, for example, a playful wrestle turns sour when Sara refuses to relinquish a grip on her mother.

Although the relationship between mother and daughter is dwelt upon the most, the interaction between the two females and their male companions is equally compelling. After an initial scrap during a playground football game, we see Sara become increasingly fond of class rebel Samir (Kenan Catic) with the pair eventually skipping school and getting up to other assorted mischief. Given the volatility of her domestic relationship, it is easy to empathise with Sara as she is drawn deeper and deeper into her friend's world. Similarly, Esma is cautiously smitten by a work colleague who is made to appear extremely menacing. As these two relationships continue to develop, it is clear that Esma and Sara disapprove of each other's companion - Sara furious that her father's reputation is being undermined while Esma is understandably concerned for her twelve-year-old's safety.

What makes Grbavica such an enthralling presentment of post-war life in Sarajevo is hard to say, though there are a few possible explanations. Newcomer Mijovic is stunning in the supporting role, bringing believable equivocacy and complexity to Sara's character. While at times unbelievably bratty and seemingly unlovable, Mijovic's mournful countenance and erratic behaviour conceal a fractured, confused and tender-hearted innocent. Though Catic and Karanovic perform well, Mijovic owns every scene and has arguably produced the best troubled teen portrayal since Angelina Jolie's Oscar-winning sociopath in Girl, Interrupted.

The cinematography is suitably grey, urban and destitute, ranging from crumbling tower blocks to empty car parks and contributes to the downtrodden feel. Deserted streets and abandoned buildings subtly hint at previous horrors but even without considering the past it's hard not to feel sorry for people living in such a dismal setting.

Zbanic's direction is deliberately understated and the pacing slow, though it's hard to imagine any other way of shooting Grbavica; only someone of Michael Bay-esque proportions could have messed up a movie in which the performances take centre-stage.

So, despite the lack of a strong narrative and the really, really, really depressing nature of Grbavica (it's like watching Eastenders for ninety minutes, only with real actors, a real story and helpings of genocide, rape, war and isolation), there's no doubting that it is a significant achievement. Though not quite a masterpiece, Grbavica is a powerful and important reminder of the consequences of what may initially appear to be a harmless detestation. 86