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Grbavica

2006 · Movie · 90 min · ★ 6.9 · 85% critics

DramaHistory

In the aftermath of the Balkan war, a mother and her daughter try to build a stable life while carrying unspoken pain. As questions about the past grow harder to avoid, everyday struggles and long-held secrets test their bond and force difficult choices.

Also known as Esma's Secret: Grbavica · Esma's Secret (Grbavica)

IMDb

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Details
Years
2006
Release date
2006-03-01
Language
BS
Runtime
90 min
Critic score
85/100
TMDB rating
6.9/10 (88 votes)
About

You’ll likely connect with this if you want an intimate, emotionally intense postwar drama about family bonds and buried trauma; Not for you if you prefer light viewing or fast-paced stories like 8 Mile.

Pros: powerful emotional impact; strong performances; thoughtful postwar themes | Cons: uneven pacing; reveals feel heavy-handed; limited narrative flexibility

Themes

  • depression
  • right and justice
  • rape
  • sense of guilt
  • becoming an adult
  • parent child relationship
  • war crimes
  • suppressed past
  • bosnia and herzegovina
  • woman director

Awards & recognition

  • Golden Bear · 2006
  • International Submission to the Academy Awards · 2007 · nominated
  • European Film Award — Best Actress · 2006 · nominated
  • European Film Award — Best Film · 2006 · nominated

Cast & crew

Directed by Jasmila Žbanić