Fuse

Produced and set in Bosnia, this darkly humorous tale takes place two years after the end of that beleaguered country's civil war, when the small border town of Tesanj is upended by preparations for a visit by President Bill Clinton. Determined to show that their community has made great strides forward, the townspeople work themselves into a tizzy trying to camouflage the village's less desirable elements: the local brothel is hastily turned into a “cultural center,” town firemen are pressured to show solidarity with their Serbian counterparts across the border, and the children's choir quickly learns lyrics to American pop tunes. Director Pjer Zalica works wonders with a cast of unknowns and strikes the perfect balance here between cynicism and optimism. Recommended. (E. Hulse)