Angelina Jolie Directorial Debut Tears & Raves-Sarajevo
By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey – Follow @MuhamedSacirbey
“In the Land of Blood and Honey” was premiered in Sarajevo, Bosnia
& Herzegovina. Deceived tolerance, lost peace and betrayed love is
the script that was played out in real life in this cosmopolitan capital
and country featured in Ms. Jolie’s film. She described herself as
“terrified” in whether the citizens who almost 2 decades earlier
suffered through siege, ethnic cleansing and genocide – the betrayal by
neighbors and democracies – would embrace her portrayal of their
victimization and resistance in her film. They embraced it by most comments offered. However, I think that many citizens of this town with the deepest roots of multiculturalism and co-existence themselves finally felt relieved that they were not stereotyped into religious groups or citizens all gone mad in "age old hatreds". The rationalization for standing aside offered by most western capitals in terms as “religious war” and “bloodletting” was felt as much of a betrayal as the original onslaught. In many ways, the film also can provide some perspective: if it could happen in Sarajevo then why not in my home.
Ms. Jolie responded to charges by some Serb ultranationalists that the film was unbalanced: She replied: “The war was not balanced. It was not 50-50. Balance did not exist. Some did not want to see. Some did not want to be reminded. Some still continue to deny” the crimes/genocide committed. (From BBC)
The film might have been expected to make Muslim religious leaders uncomfortable as well as it starts with a seemingly idealistic love affair between a Muslim young woman and a young Serb man. It ends with violation of both the love and woman. The Highest Religious leader of Bosnian Muslims, Reis-Ulema Ef. Ceric (Bottom Photo) sat through the brutality, the perhaps sexually uncomfortable scenes and offered his review:
“…film is hard and brutal, just as was the aggression on our country. In a few moments I had shortness of breath watching some scenes. I would watch it again. It is difficult to watch, especially for those who were in Sarajevo '92., '93., '94.. I want to commend Angelina Jolie and congratulate her, I'd love to get other directors around the world look up to her. Her tears last night in Zetra (Sports-hall turned theater for overflowing crowd) rocked all of us who were in the hall. Jolie has revealed why she deserves a place of UN ambassador and I have the urge to tell her a big thank you personally. (She) had the courage and knowledge, to present some positive and some negative, shocks and compelled us to think deeply about the meaning of life, the need to engage everyone in the fight against violence and genocide." (From SarajevoX).
Think we should also see all of these statements as a further endorsement for artistic freedom, open society and continued efforts to overcome the divisions of Bosnia/Herzegovina that continue to be exploited by those who still nourish their economic and political accounts with the fruits borne by genocide and intolerance. Angelina Jolie deserves more than just a thank you for courage in presenting history but for speaking an uncomfortable truth and giving promise to open societies - to prevail because the challenge posed by freedom brings out the best in artists, citizens and leaders.
Also Read – I’m Still a Bad Girl” - http://www.filmannex.com/posts/blog_show_post/im-still-a-bad-girl-by-ambassador-mo/42083
"Angelina Jolie's Movie is the best thing happened to us after Dayton"
Last night's gala premiere of "In the Land of Blood and Honey" and directed by actress Angelina Jolie in Sarajevo Zetra was attended by the supreme leader of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina Mustafa Ceric who in an interview with Sarajevo-x.com said that this film is something best what happened to our country after the signing of the Dayton Accords.
Last night's gala premiere of "In the Land of Blood and Honey" and directed by actress Angelina Jolie in Sarajevo Zetra was attended by the supreme leader of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina Mustafa Ceric who in an interview with Sarajevo-x.com said that this film is something best what happened to our country after the signing of the Dayton Accords.
Angelina Jolie awarded the Golden Badge of the University of Sarajevo
The most famous Hollywood couple had the opportunity to enjoy a specially designed menu, where they found traditional Bosnian dishes presented in a modern way, and a variety of international cuisine, which are prepared by chefs for their hotel Bristol, led by Nermin Hodzic, chef, Moreno and his deputy Debartolijem.
EXCLUSIVE: Angelina Jolie on criticism from Serbia
‘I want to visit Belgrade, but only when I feel welcome’
Milan Vukelic | 15. 02. 2012. - 02:00h
| Foto: Rojters | Comments 0
When the biggest Hollywood star actress does
her directorial debut, then the film and its storyline become the
hottest issue of virtually the entire world of film. Angelina Jolie has
restored the Balkan wars of the 1990s to the centre of global media’s
attention, with conflicting reactions to the project. In an exclusive
interview for Blic, Angelina speaks out on the claims In the Land of
Blood and Honey is one-sided, showing a warped perception of historical
events.
Now that your directorial debut has hit the cinemas, what is your prevailing impression? Has the effort paid off?
- I was touched by many extremely emotional reactions of the people who have seen it. This is a hard film to watch, but that is exactly as it should be. War should never be something easy to watch and witness, whether it’s in real life or on film.
I think people have shown understanding and compassion for both sides of this conflict, just like with any other conflict. More than anything else, they have understood my frustration with the fact the international community failed to intervene earlier, which is a very important message of this film.
Why did you choose the war in the Balkans as the topic? Do you feel any special bond with the people here? I am asking you this because I have read reactions which basically boiled down to something like: not even us fully understand what happened in the 1990s, so how could Angelina?
- I don’t want to pretend I understand that transpired, and that is not the intention of the film. This is no documentary. This is a film about relationships between people and what war does to people, how it changes them. Its backdrop is the war in Bosnia because this is a conflict I had come to realise I knew very little about, although it happened relatively recently.
I was a teenager growing up in the USA when the war was going on, without really being aware of it at all. That’s why I inquired about the war and felt the need to tell a story about it, turn people’s attention to the fact the international community allowed the war to go on for such a long time without any interventions.
People from the Balkans are very important to me. I have fallen in love with this country the first time I visited it, as well as its people and culture. People here are very sympathetic, loving and brave. They have survived so much and their optimism inspires me. There are a lot of their stories that deserve to be told.
Many have condemned the film without seeing it. What is their underlying motive, do you think?
- War is still a very touchy subject. It was a very painful time in the history of this country and it is our honour to have had many people open up for their artistic interpretation of the time they had gone through. I am aware that the people who went through the war will never be happy with a film on the war. Still, we were stunned by the lies told by some people who haven’t even seen the film.
There will be Serbian people who will say they have seen a number of Hollywood movies where Serbs are depicted as villains, just like Russians were usual suspects during the Cold War or the Arabs in the post-9/11 era. Is In the Land of Blood and Honey such a film?
- No, it’s not. If there’s someone that the film’s script lays the blame on, then it’s the international community which failed to react during the conflicts.
When you look at some reactions to the film, the matter is really depressing – you have two sides accusing each other for everything all over again.
Has the film been a failure in terms of contributing to the process of reconciliation?
- My experience with the people from the Balkans is that they are much more approachable, introspective and looking to the future than what some people would like to show. The process of healing and reconciliation is often complex and slow – it’s a tough job. But I believe this film has reached both sets of audiences and people have started communicating again, which is very important.
Will you be attending the Belgrade premiere? What do expect here?
- Originally the plan was to come to the Belgrade premiere, but due to the lies perpetuated by the media we now do not feel welcome. I would love to visit Belgrade in the future, but I will be keeping my finger on the Serbian people’s pulse.
Last Night in Sarajevo – In the Land of Blood and Honey
by Any Excuse to Wear Track Pants
My husband and I were fortunate enough to be invited to the premiere of In the Land of Blood and Honey in Sarajevo last night. It was a huge honour to be a part of such a magnificent event.
In the Land of Blood and Honey VIP access
Listening to Angelina and cast speak about the message of the film at the press conference held yesterday late afternoon, I was moved by how much effort, research and compassion she had put into the whole project. Watching her speak, I became more and more eager to see what the end result was.
Press Conference
Angelina Jolie Press Conference
Inside Olympic Stadium Sarajevo
Angelina Jolie addressing the crowd
I don’t want to go into too many details about the movie itself. What I can say is that there was silence through the whole film, there were sounds of sniffles and gentle wiping of tears. It was difficult to watch. But at the same time, it was so incredibly moving, there was such a strong message being projected that I really believe it was impossible not to be touched or affected by it. And even though, in this particular film, only the Serbs were shown to be the aggressors, I think that at the same time, Angelina did well to show the doubts that some of them had regarding their methods and ethics and their roles in the war itself. Angelina made sure to show that not everyone was bad, an important point that often is ignored in these types of films. In the Land of Blood and Honey has heart and courage and it goes a long way to show how tragic war can be, and how we cannot turn a blind eye to these sort of events, happening all over the world, anymore.
As the credits rolled, the applause grew and lured the entire cast and its director on stage for a final bow. People were on their feet, clapping and cheering (a reaction, I have to admit, I was not expecting). There was an atmosphere of gratitude there that night. Angelina and some members of the cast were moved to tears. It was a mutual moment of sadness and of thanks. Both sides, the artists and their audience were sad that the story had to be told, and at the same time were thankful for it.
Angelina Jolie Cocktail Reception
Her partner, for those who wonder, was also there that night but was tucked safely away until the end of the evening when he finally made an appearance and we were able to snap a few photos of him.
Brad Pitt entering the mob
ANGELINA Jolie broke down in tears after receiving a standing ovation at a screening of her new film yesterday.
She was joined by proud partner Brad Pitt for the screening of the film - which focuses on a romance between a Serbian soldier and a Bosnian woman during the 1990s war in the region.
The mother-of-six was overcome with emotion after the screening as she was greeted by a rapturous standing ovation from the audience of 5,000 people – many of whom had lived through the war themselves.
As tears welled up in her eyes, she told the audience: "To see you receiving it so well means the world to me. I feel so deep for all of you in this country."
Golden couple...Brad and Angelina
The United Nations Goodwill Ambassador also took the opportunity to address the ongoing unrest in Syria, insisting she hopes her film is seen as a "wake-up call" to the international community, as more needs to be done to help the country's people.
She added, "I feel very strongly about the film and I believe that its core issue - which is the need for intervention and need for the world to pay attention to atrocities when they are happening - is very, very timely, especially with things that are happening in Syria today.
"It is very important that this film is out at this time. If this film points the finger at anybody it is the international community, so I hope it remains a wake-up call for them."
Jonathan Freedland
"The film is not balanced because the war was not balanced," Angelina Jolie tells Allan Little
Holivudska diva Angelina Jolie govori samo za "Avaz": Obama će pomoći BiH!
Bila sam vrlo šokirana reakcijama iz Srbije i RS
Autor | Objavljeno 15.02.2012. u 06:16
Đoli: Sve što sam uradila nastalo je iz ljubavi prema ovoj zemlji, prema ovim ljudima
Šokirale su me reakcije iz Republike Srpske i Srbije na film, ali one,
zapravo, samo pokazuju količinu problema s kojima se suočava ovaj
region, izjavila je jučer u ekskluzivnom intervjuu za "Dnevni avaz"
Anđelina Đoli (Angelina Jolie), rediteljka i scenaristica filma "U
zemlji krvi i meda" (In the Land of Blood and Honney).
Najveća holivudska zvijezda pristala je uoči, kako je sama navela, najvažnije premijere svog rediteljskog prvjenca ponovo govoriti za "Avaz", koji je i medijski pokrovitelj događaja.
Velika podrška
Đoli je istakla da je njena želja da film pomogne Bosni i Hercegovini te otkrila da je upravo o tome razgovarala i s predsjednikom Sjedinjenih Američkih Država Barakom Obamom (Barack) nedavno u Bijeloj kući.
- On i njegovi saradnici pokazali su veliko interesiranje. Tražili su od Zane (Marjanović, op. a.) da im objasni, ilustrira situaciju kakva je danas u Sarajevu. I vidjelo se koliko su predani ovoj regiji, koliko im je sve to bitno. Sam način ophođenja prema meni i Zani ukazuje na to kolika je njihova podrška i zainteresiranost za ovu državu - kazala nam je Đoli.
Često ste spominjali da Vaš film, na izvjestan način, okrivljuje ponajviše međunarodnu zajednicu zbog odnosa prema agresiji na Bosni i Hercegovinu. Je li Vaš cilj, na koncu, da podstaknete tu međunarodnu zajednicu da pomogne u rješavanju aktuelnih problema u našoj zemlji?
- Da, ja se zaista nadam, jer čak i u Njemačkoj sam saznala da su spremni finansijski pomoći. Ja, naravno, ovaj film nisam snimala da bih se uplitala u političku scenu ovog regiona, ali će se moj glas uvijek čuti kada je riječ o humanosti. Ovo je vrlo kompleksan period na globalnoj i ekonomskoj sceni, ali ovaj dio svijeta nije zaboravljen, i dalje je fokus na ovoj regiji. Nadam se da će ovaj film navesti ljude da dolaze u Sarajevo, da slušaju vašu muziku, da posjećuju vaše kafiće.
Veza s ljudima
Uradili ste divan posao i veoma smo zahvalni zbog toga. Ponosni smo na Vas i Vaš rad, jer ste vjerodostojno pokazali ono što nam se dogodilo ratnih godina. Kakve reakcije očekujete od sarajevske publike?
- Očekujem različite reakcije. Vrlo je težak film i namijenjen je svim ljudima širom svijeta kako bi naučili nešto o ovom ratu, kako bi se poistovjetili i povezali s ovim ljudima, kako bi bili upoznati s vašom situacijom, te da im poraste želja da se bolje upoznaju sa situacijom u BiH.
Film je vrlo težak za gledanje i ne mogu vjerovati da na svijetu postoji iko kome bi bilo teže gledati ovaj film nego narodima s ovih prostora. Vrlo je težak, baš zato što će tim ljudima probuditi neka sjećanja i neke slike. To mora biti grozno, jer sam svjesna da većina ljudi zbog tih uspomena i dan-danas ima noćne more. Ali, nadam da se da ćete vidjeti sav moj trud kao umjetnika koji, naravno, nije perfektan, ali sve što sam uradila nastalo je iz ljubavi prema ovoj zemlji, prema ovim ljudima.
Nadam se da će muzika i bh. glumci uspjeti prenijeti pravu sliku, ali isto tako znam da to neće biti jednostavno na emotivnom nivou. Samo se nadam da svi znaju da sam dala najbolje od sebe...
Kako komentirate reakcije iz Srbije i Republike Srpske, imajući u vidu činjenicu da je Vaš film zabranjen u Srbiji i manjem bh. entitetu?
- Bila sam vrlo šokirana reakcijama iz Srbije i RS. Ta reakcija, zapravo, ističe količinu problema ovdje, a ne samo stava prema umjetnosti i prema meni. Pale su jake riječi i stavovi koje sam ja navodno rekla, što je za mene bilo šokantno. Svjesna sam da je to osjetljiva tema u regionu, iako je prošlo 20 godina od kraja rata. Rane su još svježe i nadam se da će javnost, odnosno građani, dobiti pravo na vlastito mišljenje, a ne da im se to mišljenje nameće, jer građani ovog regiona vrlo su otvoreni, progresivni i inteligentni.
Možda je, ipak, moguće da vide film te uoče razliku između onoga što ja radim i što mediji objavljuju, jer pokušavaju mene koristiti kako bi nametnuli vlastite stavove. Na kraju krajeva, ovdje je to svakodnevica. Ljudi su navikli na to, naučili su se nositi s tim.
Bolje glumice
Film je bio vrlo težak i za glumce...
- To je bio vrlo težak film za sve glumce, vrlo težak performans za njih. Ja, naprimjer, nikada ne bih bila tako dobra u tim ulogama koje su ove žene utjelovljavale. Bolje su to obavile nego što bih ja, ikada.
Koliko su Vam ljudi s ovih prostora pomogli pri pravljenju filma? Jeste li koristili savjete građana?
- Sve scene su priča koju su mi ispričali ljudi s ovih prostora, a koje sam upoznala na svom zadatku. Jednostavno, natjerali su me na suze. Toliko su me dirnuli njihovi stavovi i činjenica da drže glavu uspravno uprkos onome kroz šta su sve prošli. Ponosno hodaju bez obzira na to pokušavajući naći ravnotežu, iako njihov svijet više nikada neće biti isti. Svaka priča s ovog prostora potresna je na svoj način i namjera ovog filma ogleda se u tome da se svačija priča čuje.
Vrlo je teško bilo prikazati te scene, naročito kada je u pitanju nasilje nad ženama. Čak i glumcima koji su očevi i muževi bilo je teško uraditi te scene, odglumiti ih, ali su to ipak napravili kako bi žene mogle ispričati svoju priču, koja je vrlo bolna.
Tražila da je novinarka "Avaza" nauči da na bosanskom jeziku kaže "U zemlji krvi i meda"
Tokom razgovora Anđelina je nekoliko puta istakla da joj je važan stav bosanske publike, izražavajući nadu da će film biti prihvaćen kao njen doprinos otkrivanju istine o patnji i ljudskoj drami. U jednom trenutku, spremajući se za sinoćnju premijeru, zamolila je novinarku "Dnevnog avaza" da je nauči kako se na bosanskom jeziku kaže "U zemlji krvi i meda", pokušavajući u nekoliko navrata to izgovoriti.
Najveća holivudska zvijezda pristala je uoči, kako je sama navela, najvažnije premijere svog rediteljskog prvjenca ponovo govoriti za "Avaz", koji je i medijski pokrovitelj događaja.
Velika podrška
Đoli je istakla da je njena želja da film pomogne Bosni i Hercegovini te otkrila da je upravo o tome razgovarala i s predsjednikom Sjedinjenih Američkih Država Barakom Obamom (Barack) nedavno u Bijeloj kući.
- On i njegovi saradnici pokazali su veliko interesiranje. Tražili su od Zane (Marjanović, op. a.) da im objasni, ilustrira situaciju kakva je danas u Sarajevu. I vidjelo se koliko su predani ovoj regiji, koliko im je sve to bitno. Sam način ophođenja prema meni i Zani ukazuje na to kolika je njihova podrška i zainteresiranost za ovu državu - kazala nam je Đoli.
Često ste spominjali da Vaš film, na izvjestan način, okrivljuje ponajviše međunarodnu zajednicu zbog odnosa prema agresiji na Bosni i Hercegovinu. Je li Vaš cilj, na koncu, da podstaknete tu međunarodnu zajednicu da pomogne u rješavanju aktuelnih problema u našoj zemlji?
- Da, ja se zaista nadam, jer čak i u Njemačkoj sam saznala da su spremni finansijski pomoći. Ja, naravno, ovaj film nisam snimala da bih se uplitala u političku scenu ovog regiona, ali će se moj glas uvijek čuti kada je riječ o humanosti. Ovo je vrlo kompleksan period na globalnoj i ekonomskoj sceni, ali ovaj dio svijeta nije zaboravljen, i dalje je fokus na ovoj regiji. Nadam se da će ovaj film navesti ljude da dolaze u Sarajevo, da slušaju vašu muziku, da posjećuju vaše kafiće.
Veza s ljudima
Uradili ste divan posao i veoma smo zahvalni zbog toga. Ponosni smo na Vas i Vaš rad, jer ste vjerodostojno pokazali ono što nam se dogodilo ratnih godina. Kakve reakcije očekujete od sarajevske publike?
- Očekujem različite reakcije. Vrlo je težak film i namijenjen je svim ljudima širom svijeta kako bi naučili nešto o ovom ratu, kako bi se poistovjetili i povezali s ovim ljudima, kako bi bili upoznati s vašom situacijom, te da im poraste želja da se bolje upoznaju sa situacijom u BiH.
Film je vrlo težak za gledanje i ne mogu vjerovati da na svijetu postoji iko kome bi bilo teže gledati ovaj film nego narodima s ovih prostora. Vrlo je težak, baš zato što će tim ljudima probuditi neka sjećanja i neke slike. To mora biti grozno, jer sam svjesna da većina ljudi zbog tih uspomena i dan-danas ima noćne more. Ali, nadam da se da ćete vidjeti sav moj trud kao umjetnika koji, naravno, nije perfektan, ali sve što sam uradila nastalo je iz ljubavi prema ovoj zemlji, prema ovim ljudima.
Nadam se da će muzika i bh. glumci uspjeti prenijeti pravu sliku, ali isto tako znam da to neće biti jednostavno na emotivnom nivou. Samo se nadam da svi znaju da sam dala najbolje od sebe...
Kako komentirate reakcije iz Srbije i Republike Srpske, imajući u vidu činjenicu da je Vaš film zabranjen u Srbiji i manjem bh. entitetu?
- Bila sam vrlo šokirana reakcijama iz Srbije i RS. Ta reakcija, zapravo, ističe količinu problema ovdje, a ne samo stava prema umjetnosti i prema meni. Pale su jake riječi i stavovi koje sam ja navodno rekla, što je za mene bilo šokantno. Svjesna sam da je to osjetljiva tema u regionu, iako je prošlo 20 godina od kraja rata. Rane su još svježe i nadam se da će javnost, odnosno građani, dobiti pravo na vlastito mišljenje, a ne da im se to mišljenje nameće, jer građani ovog regiona vrlo su otvoreni, progresivni i inteligentni.
Možda je, ipak, moguće da vide film te uoče razliku između onoga što ja radim i što mediji objavljuju, jer pokušavaju mene koristiti kako bi nametnuli vlastite stavove. Na kraju krajeva, ovdje je to svakodnevica. Ljudi su navikli na to, naučili su se nositi s tim.
Bolje glumice
Film je bio vrlo težak i za glumce...
- To je bio vrlo težak film za sve glumce, vrlo težak performans za njih. Ja, naprimjer, nikada ne bih bila tako dobra u tim ulogama koje su ove žene utjelovljavale. Bolje su to obavile nego što bih ja, ikada.
Koliko su Vam ljudi s ovih prostora pomogli pri pravljenju filma? Jeste li koristili savjete građana?
- Sve scene su priča koju su mi ispričali ljudi s ovih prostora, a koje sam upoznala na svom zadatku. Jednostavno, natjerali su me na suze. Toliko su me dirnuli njihovi stavovi i činjenica da drže glavu uspravno uprkos onome kroz šta su sve prošli. Ponosno hodaju bez obzira na to pokušavajući naći ravnotežu, iako njihov svijet više nikada neće biti isti. Svaka priča s ovog prostora potresna je na svoj način i namjera ovog filma ogleda se u tome da se svačija priča čuje.
Vrlo je teško bilo prikazati te scene, naročito kada je u pitanju nasilje nad ženama. Čak i glumcima koji su očevi i muževi bilo je teško uraditi te scene, odglumiti ih, ali su to ipak napravili kako bi žene mogle ispričati svoju priču, koja je vrlo bolna.
Tražila da je novinarka "Avaza" nauči da na bosanskom jeziku kaže "U zemlji krvi i meda"
Tokom razgovora Anđelina je nekoliko puta istakla da joj je važan stav bosanske publike, izražavajući nadu da će film biti prihvaćen kao njen doprinos otkrivanju istine o patnji i ljudskoj drami. U jednom trenutku, spremajući se za sinoćnju premijeru, zamolila je novinarku "Dnevnog avaza" da je nauči kako se na bosanskom jeziku kaže "U zemlji krvi i meda", pokušavajući u nekoliko navrata to izgovoriti.
