as if i am not there
directed by juanita wilson
drama
run time: 109 minutes
languages: croatian, serbian & bosnian with english subtitles.
as if i am not there is the story of a young woman from sarajevo whose life is shattered the day a young soldier walks into her apartment and tells her to pack her things. rounded up with the other women from the village and imprisoned in a warehouse in a remote region of bosnia, she quickly learns the rules of camp life. the day she is picked out to ‘entertain’ the soldiers, the real nightmare begins.
stripped of everything she ever had and facing the constant threat of death, she struggles against all the hatred she sees around her. in a final act of courage or madness, she decides to make one last stand: to dare to be herself. and this simple act saves her life.
it’s when she realises that surviving means more than staying alive that she has to make a decision that will change her life forever.
as if i am not there is a modern war story that explores love, identity and the connections between us.
winner, best film, irish film and television awards, 2011
winner, best director in film, irish film and television awards, 2011
winner, best actress (natasha petrovic), seattle international film festival golden space needle audience award, 2011
as if i am not there
friday, 9 december at 8.15pm
goethe institut, 812 7th street nw