Absolutely Brilliant

Also playing at SIFF this month.

A harsh dose of cinematic realism about a harsh time—the Bosnian War of the 1990s—Juanita Wilson’s drama is taken from true stories revealed during the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague. Samira (Natasa Petrovic) is a modern schoolteacher in Sarajevo who takes a job in a small country village just as the war is beginning to ramp up. When Serbian soldiers overrun the village, they shoot all the men and keep the older women as laborers, while the younger ones become sex objects. Among the latter, Samira is subjected to the basest form of treatment imaginable. It is a tribute to Wilson’s complete control of her material—as well as to Petrovic’s outstanding acting skills that allow her to convey her innermost feelings and thoughts with just a look—that this unimaginable horror is kept from feeling exploitative. Indeed, Wilson has done something rarely seen before: effectively convey the horrors of war from the point of view of a woman. This alone makes As If I Am Not There an important work; that it will stay with you for weeks points to Wilson’s artistry and integrity.

Director Biography
Irish director Juanita Wilson studied fine art, as well as design and journalism. She began directing after that. Her first short film, The Door (2008), was Oscar® nominated and received worldwide critical acclaim—both for its cinematic imagery and its moving story—and various awards. Before that, Wilson produced two powerful, award-winning feature films: H3 (2001) and Inside I’m Dancing (2004). As If I Am Not There is her first feature.

Yes, very good play from the lead actress.

fake and boring