Testing whether one can really go home again, Ivana Horvat (not the same-named actress/model)—whose family fled their war-torn homeland of Bosnia in 1992 and settled as refugees in Oregon—returns to the Balkans with her mother to visit family and see whether she can truly reconnect with her native culture. Directed by Horvat and Adrian Hopffgarten, Finding Bosnia includes short animated segments on Bosnian history—including its role in the outbreak of World War I and amalgamation into Yugoslavia—but the film's emphasis is on the past two decades. Numerous residents of Sarajevo not only recall the close shaves they endured while the city was under siege by Serbian militants in the early ‘90s, but also speak of the city's special character, captured here in exuberant montages. Horvat adds footage of family gatherings in Bosnia, home movies of her and her parents living in America and meeting with other Bosnian exiles, and scenes of her spending time with Bosnians her own age, forming friendships during outings to sidewalk cafes, dance clubs, and mountainous forests. There are poignant moments, one involving an untimely funeral, but overall the mood is not oppressively downbeat, even though Bosnia's recent past has been tragic and its people are uncertain about the future. The trip back to the Balkans was clearly fulfilling for Horvat, but this homespun personal documentary would likely prove engaging for others as well. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Finding Bosnia
(2015) 87 min. In English & Bosnian w/English subtitles. DVD: $50 ($125 w/PPR): public libraries; DVD or Blu-ray: $295 w/PPR: colleges & universities. DRA. Collective Eye Films. Volume 32, Issue 6
Finding Bosnia
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