Savrseni krug

Balkan cinema, often overlooked and undervalued by Western audiences and festivals, mirrors the West's historical disregard for the Balkans, particularly Bosnia. This unfortunate pattern of neglect extends to Ademir Kenovic's 1997 masterpiece, "Savrseni Krug" ("The Perfect Circle"), a profoundly underrated film that offers an intimate and unflinching look at the Bosnian genocide.

The film's power lies in its raw authenticity. The performances are unvarnished and naturalistic, drawing viewers into the lives of ordinary people caught in the maelstrom of war. The set design is meticulous, recreating the war-torn streets of Sarajevo with harrowing realism. And the cinematography is nothing short of breathtaking, capturing both the beauty and brutality of the conflict.

"The Perfect Circle" is more than just a war film. It's a poignant exploration of human resilience, compassion, and the enduring power of hope in the face of unimaginable suffering. The film's central character, Hamza, a poet struggling to survive in a besieged city, embodies the indomitable spirit of the Bosnian people. His unexpected bond with two orphaned boys, Adis and Kerim, is a testament to the enduring power of love and connection, even amidst the chaos of war.

The film's title, "The Perfect Circle," refers to Hamza's ability to draw perfect circles, a metaphor for his unwavering belief in the possibility of order and beauty, even in the midst of destruction. This unwavering optimism, however naive it may seem, is ultimately what sustains Hamza and the boys through their ordeal.

"The Perfect Circle" is a film that deserves to be seen and remembered. It's a powerful reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of bearing witness to the suffering of others. It's a film that challenges us to confront our own complacency and to never forget the lessons of history.

War torn Sarajevo and life turns into a game as you play dodge the bullets. Hamza, (Mustafa Nadarevic), is a poet with visions of his own death by hanging, a way to escape the misery that surrounds him. Until one night he stumbles upon two orphans who put a hold on his misery as he attempts to get them out of hell. War is ugly but those who suffer are the ones with a will for peace and harmony.

It's a slightly dramatized documentary, really. It's one of the tens of thousands of similar stories occured during '92-'96.

Shot right after the end of the longest siege on a capital in modern war history, which has become one of the best-known symbols of a large scale ethnic cleansing campaign, it doesn't need any decorations. What you see is what those people suffered through for 4 years, while the "big powers" of Europe, the ultimate defenders of human rights, have just watched the atrocity taking place right in the heart of the continent.

As a Sarajevan who did not spend time in Sarajevo during the war, but heard many stories about how it went during the war. Everyone told me this is the most accurate film made about Sarajevo in the war. So please watch it! And try to imagine how would you feel in the situation like that. Let us hope no one would ever be in the situation like that in Europe ever again! There is a memorial for the children of Sarajevo killed in war in the central park in Sarajevo.

Sarajevo did not deserve that! It is an Winter Olympic City, and as like that should of deserved better, but geopolitical faith intervened...

A solid film, mixing raw war-horror with its psychological effects and challenges; chiefly, the immense grief and struggle that is associated with attempting to live and survive.

I cannot fathom how a person can go through something as traumatic and devastating as a genocidal civil war, and manage to release a film about it only 2 years after the bullets stopped flying, and the bombs stopped bursting. I could not possibly arrange my thoughts in any coherent way after dealing with something the likes of this, at least not for a long, long time. So much of it otherwise turns to noise. It is an absolute miracle that Kenovic was able to put something out of this quality, this quickly. I think he really did something serviceable here.

Part of why I find this movie incredible: the film cameras, the set, the actors; everyone and everything is nearly completely authentic. It is an almost absolutely sure thing that any person you look at in this movie lost many loved ones to the sort of scenes they depict and act within. It is possible that many of the actors were already in Sarajevo before joining this production. Their acting would involve simply going about their lives like it was yesterday. The buildings, rubble, and general devastation you see, is more than likely just how Sarajevo still was at time, due to the extent of the shelling and gunfire fire the city endured helplessly during those nearly 4 years of time. There would have been no difficulty in finding shoot locations, clothes, military costumes...It was more than readily available. Really, it was all quite regular.

Barring any number of sentiments on the writing itself, I think that really makes this to be something special and one-of-a-kind. But really. I think it's simply a good movie.