''Halima's Path'' ( bs, Halimin put) is 2012 Bosnian-Croatian-Slovenian drama film about a grieving, but strong-willed
Bosniak
The Bosniaks ( bs, Bošnjaci, Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia (region), Bosnia, which is today part of Bosnia and Herzeg ...
woman, Halima, who must track down her estranged niece in order to recover the bones of her son lost during the
war in Bosnia
The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...
in the 1990s. The film was selected as the Croatian entry for the
Best Foreign Language Film
This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards.
Best Actor/Best Actress
*See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress# ...
at the
86th Academy Awards
The 86th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2013 and took place on March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. ...
,
but it was not nominated.
Plot
In 1977, fifteen years before the
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...
ravaged their lives, Halima's (
Alma Prica
Alma Prica (born 17 September 1962) is a Croatian actress. She graduated from the Zagreb Academy of Drama Arts in 1985 and then joined the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb (HNK Zagreb) in 1986. Although primarily a theatre actress, she also ...
) niece Safija (
Olga Pakalović
Olga Pakalović (born 8 November 1978) is a Croatian actress. She has appeared in more than twenty films since 1993.
Filmography Films
{, class="wikitable sortable"
, -
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
, -
, 2002
, '' Fine Dead Girls''
, Iva
, ...
) became pregnant by Slavomir (
Mijo Jurišić
Mijo may refer to:
People
* Mijo Babić (1903–1941), Croatian fascist
* Mijo Caktaš (born 1992), Croatian football player
* Mijo Dadić (born 1981), Croatian football player
* Mijo Gorski (born 1952), Croatian Roman Catholic prelate
* Mijo Ko ...
), a
Serb
The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of ...
man. Beaten and ostracized by her
Bosniak
The Bosniaks ( bs, Bošnjaci, Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia (region), Bosnia, which is today part of Bosnia and Herzeg ...
family, Safija gave the infant boy to the childless Halima to raise, telling Slavomir it was stillborn. Twenty-three years later, the devastating war has ended. Bodies are being identified through DNA samples and returned to families for burial. Halima's husband is found, but Mirza's bones cannot be returned to her without a blood sample. And that would have to come from Safija who ran away years ago and married Slavomir. When Halima finally locates her, Safija refuses the blood test because she is afraid her husband will discover her deception. And other deceptions could be uncovered as well, including the shocking identity of the soldier who took Halima's husband and the boy to their deaths.
Cast
*
Alma Prica
Alma Prica (born 17 September 1962) is a Croatian actress. She graduated from the Zagreb Academy of Drama Arts in 1985 and then joined the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb (HNK Zagreb) in 1986. Although primarily a theatre actress, she also ...
– Halima
*
Olga Pakalović
Olga Pakalović (born 8 November 1978) is a Croatian actress. She has appeared in more than twenty films since 1993.
Filmography Films
{, class="wikitable sortable"
, -
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
, -
, 2002
, '' Fine Dead Girls''
, Iva
, ...
– Safija
*
Mijo Jurišić
Mijo may refer to:
People
* Mijo Babić (1903–1941), Croatian fascist
* Mijo Caktaš (born 1992), Croatian football player
* Mijo Dadić (born 1981), Croatian football player
* Mijo Gorski (born 1952), Croatian Roman Catholic prelate
* Mijo Ko ...
– Slavomir
*
Izudin Bajrović
Izudin Bajrović (born 9 February 1963) is a Bosnian theater, film and television actor. He has appeared in more than forty films since 1986.
Recent activity
In 2017, Bajrović signed the Declaration on the Common Language of the Croats, Serbs, ...
– Salko
*
Miraj Grbić
Miraj Grbić (born 17 July 1976) is a Bosnian–American film, television and theater actor.
Biography
Grbić graduated from the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo at the University of Sarajevo, where he earned an M.A. degree in acting. Sinc ...
– Mustafa
*
Mustafa Nadarević
Mustafa Nadarević (2 May 1943 – 22 November 2020) was a Bosnian and Croatian actor. Widely considered one of the greatest actors from the former Yugoslavia, he starred in over 70 films, including '' The Smell of Quinces'' (1982), ''When Father ...
– Avdo
*
Emina Muftić – Nevzeta
*
Marko Plesnik – Mirza at age 16
*
Mihailo Koncar – Mirza at age 9
*
Daria Lorenci (credited as Daria Lorenci Flatz) – Rapka
*
Faketa Salihbegović (credited as Faketa Salihbegović-Avdagić) – Vezirka
*Aldin Tucić – Aron
*
Dejan Aćimović
Dejan Aćimović (born 20 May 1963) is a Bosnian-Croatian actor and film director.
He was born in Čapljina, SFR Yugoslavia, now Bosnia and Herzegovina. As an actor, his work included principal and supporting roles in numerous films, both wi ...
– Jovan
*
– Planinsek
*
Marija Omaljev-Grbić – Waitress
Background
The screenplay was inspired by the real-life story of
Bosniak
The Bosniaks ( bs, Bošnjaci, Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia (region), Bosnia, which is today part of Bosnia and Herzeg ...
couple Zahida and Muharem Fazlić from a village near
Prijedor
Prijedor ( sr-cyrl, Приједор, ) is a city and municipality located in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it has a population of 89,397 inhabitants within its administrative limits. Prijedor is situated in ...
in western
Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
whose adopted son Emir was executed in the
Korićani Cliffs massacre
The Korićani Cliffs massacre was the mass murder of more than 200 Bosniak and Croat men on 21 August 1992, during the Bosnian War, at the Korićani Cliffs ( Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian: ''Korićanske stijene'') on Mount Vlašić in central ...
of 1992. It took them 12 years to find their son's biological mother who kept refusing to give her blood for the DNA identification of Emir's remains. They found that Emir's biological mother was residing in
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital and largest city of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb stands near the international border between Croatia and Sl ...
, Croatia. Emir's biological sister resides in
Vitez
Vitez ( sr-cyrl, Витез) is a town and municipality located in Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the 2013 census, the town has a population of 6,329 inhabitant ...
, Bosnia, and, unlike their mother, was completely willing to give her blood for the DNA test, should Emir's bones be found.
Zahida Fazlić died in May 2011.
Production
Feđa Isović
Feđa Isović (born 25 February 1965) is a Bosnian screenwriter.
His most popular work is the Bosnian sitcom '' Lud, zbunjen, normalan''. Isović also wrote the screenplay for the 2012 film '' Halima's Path''.
Since 2010, he has been a part of ...
wrote the first draft of the script in the middle of the 2000s decade, for his friend
Benjamin Filipović
Benjamin Filipović (1962 – 20 July 2006) was a Bosnian film director. He taught at the directing department of Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo
The Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo () is a faculty within the University of Sara ...
, with whom he had previously worked with on the black comedy ''Dobro uštimani mrtvaci'' (''Well-Tempered Corpses'') in 2005. After Filipović's death on 20 July 2006, the script was handed over to
Croatian
Croatian may refer to:
* Croatia
*Croatian language
*Croatian people
*Croatians (demonym)
See also
*
*
* Croatan (disambiguation)
* Croatia (disambiguation)
* Croatoan (disambiguation)
* Hrvatski (disambiguation)
* Hrvatsko (disambiguation)
* S ...
director
Arsen Anton Ostojić
Arsen Anton Ostojić (born 29 July 1965) is a Croatian film director and screenwriter.
He won the Golden Arena for Best Director at the 2008 Pula Film Festival, and was nominated for the European Discovery of the Year award at the 2004 Europe ...
, who directed the final version of the film.
Filming began on 27 February 2012 in
Pisarovina
Pisarovina is a municipality in Croatia in the Zagreb County. According to the 2001 census, there are 3,697 inhabitants, absolute majority which are Croats.
Settlements
* Bratina
* Bregana Pisarovinska
* Donja Kupčina
* Dvoranci
* Gorica Jam ...
.
The movie is available with
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national id ...
or
French subtitles.
Releases and screenings
The film was first shown at the 59th
Pula Film Festival
Pula Film Festival ( hr, Pulski filmski festival) is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the Pula Arena. Pula Film Festival is the oldest Croatian film festival and is usually held ...
in July 2012. It had its official release on 18 October 2012 in the Bosnian cities of
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajev ...
,
Mostar
Mostar (, ; sr-Cyrl, Мостар, ) is a city and the administrative center of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the historical capital of Herzegovina.
Mostar is sit ...
,
Zenica
Zenica ( ; ; ) is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an administrative and economic center of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Zenica-Doboj Canton. It is located in the Bosna river valley, about north of Sarajevo. The city is kno ...
and
Banja Luka
Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city of Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is also the ''de facto'' capital of this entity. I ...
, followed by its premiere in
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital and largest city of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb stands near the international border between Croatia and Sl ...
, Croatia on 23 October 2012 and wide release on 25 October.
It was screened at the 22nd Cottbus Film Festival in
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...
on 9 and 10 November 2012 and the 16th
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, or PÖFF ( et, Pimedate Ööde Filmifestival), is an annual film festival held since 1997 in Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. PÖFF is the only festival in Northern Europe or the Baltic region with a FIA ...
in
Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and t ...
that same month. It was also shown at the 35th
Cairo International Film Festival
The Cairo International Film Festival ( ar, مهرجان القاهرة السينمائي الدولي) is an annual internationally accredited film festival held in Cairo Opera House. It was established in 1976 and has taken place every year sin ...
in
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Med ...
in December 2012, the 29th Mons International Film Festival d’Amour in
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
in February 2013 and the 20th
Febiofest
Prague International Film Festival - Febiofest is one of the largest film festivals in the Czech Republic and the second most prestigious festival in the country (after Karlovy Vary). The festival presents a wide spectrum of contemporary and retr ...
in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
in March 2013.
The film had its American premiere at the South East European Film Festival in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...
, California on 4 May 2013. The following week, it was screened at the
Bosnian-Herzegovinian Film Festival in New York City.
Awards
''Halima's Path'' won several awards in film festivals throughout the world. It won, among others, the "Grand Prix prize" at both the International Festival of Mons in
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
and at the 19th Mediterranean Film Festival in Morocco. It was also voted the best film at the Morocco festival.
See also
* List of submissions to the 86th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
* List of Croatian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
References
External links
*
{{Croatian submission for Academy Awards
2012 films
2012 war drama films
Bosnia and Herzegovina war drama films
Bosnian-language films
Bosnian War films
Films shot in Croatia
War films based on actual events
Drama films based on actual events
Yugoslav Wars in fiction
Croatian war drama films
Films about Bosnian genocide
2012 drama films