Obrana i zastita

Now here's a movie 99,9% of you have not heard of. I have just been to the movie premier and whole cast was there. I am full of pleasant impressions of this movie.

This movie is more special because it's about small town Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a town where I live in. It's a town that was in the war and that is split into two parts. On one part live Muslims while on the other live Croats (Catholics). People in town coexist but it's complicated relationship. This movie has very interesting plot because a friend of Croat dies and he's a Muslim. He's in doubt if he should go or not because he's afraid of what people will think about him going to Muslim funeral.

It's a movie that I believe will hardly be understood outside Mostar, since we know the situation and small details that can only be familiar to someone living here. Though I was proved wrong since movie has won prestigious awards from Pula film festival, Motovun, Berlin etc. It is by far most successful Croatian movie this year. It's probably going to be Croatian candidate for the academy awards.

Besides this movie being only fully familiar to someone living in Mostar, it appears that it's having influence on wide audience even despite that.

It's very hard and heavy movie to see. Perhaps those are not most precise words to describe it but that's how I felt. It's movie with less dialog and with more facial expressions. It's movie that you need to watch and understand. It was extremely demanding on the cast and they did amazing job with it. Having said a lot more with your facial expressions that with words in not easy to achieve!

Movie will shock you at times that you wonder what did you happen. It's pleasant surprise from a movie of this kind. Production wise it reminded me a lot of one of last year's academy awards nominee Amour. It's hard to explain why but if you see both movies you'll see what I'm talking about.

Overall after meeting director and cast of the movie, it will always have special place in my heart and I wish it all of the success in the world!

I am not impressed at all. Very disappointed.I did except a much more especially knowing that Diklic is there.Camera,acting,story.... Nothing in particular to be interesting.Knowing the real story based on movies is made ,it could be a good story but. The acting in particular was very amateur ,it looks like "naturstic" with very low engagement. Just, lost about 2 hrs doing nothing. I did know about Zlatna Arena award and that was the reason I've decided to watch this movie. Especially,Diklic always was very good. He is my favorite actor. Disappointed. Looks like Croatian authors and their festival lost the common sense. The topic was very promising therefore my expectations were huge.