After seeing devastating results of ethnic war in former Yugoslavia soldiers from UNPROFOR peace units find it impossible to return back to their civil lives in the UK.After seeing devastating results of ethnic war in former Yugoslavia soldiers from UNPROFOR peace units find it impossible to return back to their civil lives in the UK.After seeing devastating results of ethnic war in former Yugoslavia soldiers from UNPROFOR peace units find it impossible to return back to their civil lives in the UK.
- Won 2 BAFTA Awards
- 11 wins & 6 nominations total
Featured reviews
You may think, due to its documentary character, the movie is awfully boring. The opposite is the case: Because of the excellent camera work, you get the impression of being a member of the British armoured infantrymen yourself. And while you are patrolling the area in white tanks in order to show UNPROFOR presence, the only thing you are allowed to do by higher orders of the UN command is to observe, unable to help, shield or evacuate the civilians from the atrocities committed by the soldiers and militia of each ethnical fraction. You start feeling as helpless as the British soldiers must have felt in reality. This movie is therefore very disillusioning and depressing.
In my opinion, this is a very powerful movie with the typical BBC documentation style, no Hollywood clichés. It should be seen by many, many more people, especially when you consider that this historic example of ethnic cleansing took place right on our doorstep only a decade ago and nevertheless today is almost forgotten. An impressive account of the tragic role of the UN during a bloody civil war.
Highly recommended! 10/10
I notice that some of the comments suggest that it is anti-Serb. Well, some of the "baddies" are Croat. (The scene with the lorry-load of bodies near the end of the Bosnia scenes is a case in point.)
Perhaps it's pro-Muslim, but I think anyone watching it will realize that it is not a "goodies" and "baddies" film.
Does the film advocate military intervention on a grand scale? No.
Does it show the futility of delivering food parcels to people who are about to be massacred? Yes.
There are no easy answers to the questions asked by this film. You should watch it and remember that this all happened in a "civilized" European country, just a few years ago.
The evil shown is not Serb or Croat or Muslim evil. The evil is hate, that betrays God.
At our church, a visiting priest explained that he would not be visiting again for a few months, because he is an army chaplain and his unit was off to Kosovo. Kosovo is a different fall-out from Yugoslavia, but, having seen this film, I prayed long and hard for him.
Don't miss it and be prepared to be upset.
But one must bare in mind that the events depicted here is just in One particular region of Bosnia. Here it happenes to be the British-sector in the Travnic, Vitez, Amichi area. Some incidents I know happened (like the burned victims in the cellar) and some are most likely made up, but surely with the intent of realism in mind. Here obviosly the Serbs outnumbered the Muslims and therefor had most of the control. This I mention because after reading two comments here, both from Bosnia oe most likely to be Serb (saying that the depictions in this film are "black and white" portrayed) and one Muslim (Finding the film to be very realistic, having lived through the whole war in Sarajevo.)
Having been in bosnia myself I think I can appreciate this film more. Being shot in Tsjekkia it still looks very much like Bosnia. Although it was wery calm there then (in -99),long after the war was over. The UN had been replaced by the NATO forces(maybe a bit too late). But the work consisted of pretty much the same(except for the extreme tasks given as the result of war off cource) , driving around in our "sizu`s", working with local interpreters and keeping in touch with the local population. The following year I went to Kosovo, a more recent conflict. During that war NATO bombed Serbia in protest of the treatment given to the Albanians in Kosovo. When we arrived(early 2000) the situation had turned to the opposite and it was mostly the Serbs who had to be kept safe of the Albanians, who had started returning to Kosovo.
So I agree that there is no such thing as a "black and white" explanation of the tragedy. There was surely bad deeds made by all "sides", as in every war.
Film rates 10/10!
I can imagine that Serbs wont like the movie, but they have to face the truth. Sooner they realize the truth better for them and for development of their nation. The fact that all sides did war crimes is not of big help here. The fact is that pictures, like in movie, were the most common, and you have to remember who started the blood spilling and genocide. But remember it is not about people but politics who manipulate with masses. The people are the same everywhere you go; bad and good and mostly inbetween. The role of international community and UNPROFOR in Bosnia was very questionable. They let the killing of innocents before their eyes and did nothing. Even more, the UN people turned into a corrupted band who struggled only for surviving, earning money and promotions. Even on highest levels. Just remember one French general.
But like I said the people are good and bad. So I can imagine that some soldiers had a real problems with facing the unjustice and horror supported from international community.
I saw yesterday on Monte Negro TV a prewar speech from president of Bosnia,
Alija Izetbegovic who said: " Bad negotations are better then a good war." Congratulations to Monte Negro TV for independent standpoint with presentations of former enemies and to mr. Izetbegovic for a clever thought. Too bad they all did not take this idea seriously.
One more. Yesterday at night I saw this movie on Pink TV. Yes, on Serbian TV! The things are changing. Congratulations!!!
With all respect on victims on all sides.
Did you know
- TriviaThe Ministry of Defence assisted the production by providing Warrior armoured vehicles with crews during filming in the Czech Republic.
- Quotes
Pvt. Alan James: Get your dick out. Come on, let's see your dick. Or are you a eunuch? Did your mother bite it off when you were having sex? You want to rape me? Come on, speak to me. Why are you letting me insult you? I thought you were a man. Come on, fucker. You and me mate.
- Crazy creditsEpisode 1 did not have a closing-credits sequence, just a "To Be Continued" caption and a BBC copyright year.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Points of View: Episode #33.6 (1999)