Film Lessons about the Balkan Wars

The repercussions of the War in Yugoslavia of the 1990s has given directors and writers of screenplays fodder for storylines and character sketches.

Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams was the winner of the Berlin Film Festival's "Golden Bear" award and the Peace Film award. Jazmila Zbanic, born in Sarajevo, wrote and directed this powerful film. It tells the story of a mother, Esme, dealing with her own memories of the War in Yugoslavia, as well as her teenage daughter's growing awareness of its lasting affects. The viewer is given hints regarding the truth about the man who fathered Esme's daughter, but this detail is only revealed near the end of the film, when Esme realizes that healing can only come through speaking about her experiences.

The Secret Life of Words is also an award-winning film about a woman struggling with her memories of the Balkan War. Hanna, a deaf nurse, helps to heal a burn victim on an oil rig both physically and emotionally, while being confronted with her own refusal to recognize that sharing personal experiences may help her banish her own demons.

Both films speak volumes about the psycholocial effects of torture through female perspectives, and the life-long effort victims can make to function in society from which they feel isolated and forget the cause of their pain .