Sabina, a divorced mother of two lives in Sarajevo. Her parents are devout Moslems. Her ex-husband is also Moslem and seems financially dependent on her. Sabina is in a relationship with Sasha, who is Catholic. The two plan to marry, but the odds are stacked against them. Sabina's parents, especially her mother, violently disapprove of Sasha on the grounds of his religion (Sabina's mother tells her "The cross will always betray you!") Reciprocally, Sasha's mother rejects Sabina calling her "the Muslim whore." (Sasha's family seems to have suffered at the hand of Moslem guerrillas in the recent war).
Sasha is also divorced. His daughter, ex-wife and her family live in Switzerland and he seems to be dependent on them, perhaps on financial matters. He vaguely plans to visit his ex and family to straighten things out before his wedding.
Sabina and Sasha agree on meeting in the home of a friend, "Aunt" Ankica; Sabina will travel first and Sasha will join her to get married there. He never arrives, and disappears from the scene and from Sabina's life. She learns she is pregnant by Sasha, gets no help from Sasha's family or her own and falls into a deep depression, losing her job, her apartment and ending up on the streets, living by her wits and the occasional kindness of friends and strangers.
The movie ends with Sabina having an otherworldly experience that she interprets as back-from-the-dead, although her friends, sitting around her hospital bed put forth alternative explanations. A hint is given by the unexplained presence of a mysterious stranger in several key scenes. Whatever the explanation is, Sabina's life undergoes a sea change.
I found this movie fascinating. Acting is first rate and the cinematography captures the enchanting city of Sarajevo, where Moslem, Catholic and Orthodox manage to live side by side in spite of age-old antagonisms exacerbated by the Yugoslavia War. There are also some lovely shots of the Dalmatian coast. The script is subtle and balanced; the film avoids the "Serbian-bad-everybody-else-good" meme and shows some fascinating glimpses of reality such as a faded portrait of Marshal Tito in a railway office. A movie to watch.
Sasha is also divorced. His daughter, ex-wife and her family live in Switzerland and he seems to be dependent on them, perhaps on financial matters. He vaguely plans to visit his ex and family to straighten things out before his wedding.
Sabina and Sasha agree on meeting in the home of a friend, "Aunt" Ankica; Sabina will travel first and Sasha will join her to get married there. He never arrives, and disappears from the scene and from Sabina's life. She learns she is pregnant by Sasha, gets no help from Sasha's family or her own and falls into a deep depression, losing her job, her apartment and ending up on the streets, living by her wits and the occasional kindness of friends and strangers.
The movie ends with Sabina having an otherworldly experience that she interprets as back-from-the-dead, although her friends, sitting around her hospital bed put forth alternative explanations. A hint is given by the unexplained presence of a mysterious stranger in several key scenes. Whatever the explanation is, Sabina's life undergoes a sea change.
I found this movie fascinating. Acting is first rate and the cinematography captures the enchanting city of Sarajevo, where Moslem, Catholic and Orthodox manage to live side by side in spite of age-old antagonisms exacerbated by the Yugoslavia War. There are also some lovely shots of the Dalmatian coast. The script is subtle and balanced; the film avoids the "Serbian-bad-everybody-else-good" meme and shows some fascinating glimpses of reality such as a faded portrait of Marshal Tito in a railway office. A movie to watch.
