Balkanization
Pretty Village, Pretty Flame
Srdjan Dragojevic, 1996; 115 mins.
The Apocalypse Now of the Bosnian war: childhood friends end on opposite
sides in a kaleidoscopic nightmare vision of ethnic conflict.
Balkanization
Four Months, Three Weeks, Two Days
Cristian Mungiu, 2007; 113 mins.
Cannes-winning controversial "abortion film" but much more than that, a
classic exemplar of ongoing Romanian New Wave.
Balkanization
View From the Bridge: Stories From Kosovo
Laura Bialis & John Ealer, 2007; 105 mins.
Documentary set in divided city of Mitrovica, ongoing flashpoint between
Kosovo's Albanians and Serbs.
Balkanization
Underground
Emir Kusturica, 1995; 167 mins.
Felliniesque lunatic-tragic fever-dream history of Yugoslavia from WWII to
recent Balkan wars, with frenetic psycho-punk gypsy-brass soundtrack.
Reconciliation
Le Grand Voyage
Ismael Ferroukhi, 2004; 108 mins.
Euro-Muslim road movie: a young French Moroccan man drives his father from
France across the Balkans to Mecca on the old man's pilgrimage.
Reconciliation
Once
John Carney, 2006; 85 mins.
Dublin busker-boy meets pretty Czech immigrant girl and together they make
beautiful music: rock-n-roll romance, a very different kind of
musical.
Reconciliation
Long Night's Journey into Day
Deborah Hoffmann & Frances Reid , 2000; 94 mins.
Documentary on work of South Africa's post-Apartheid "Truth and
Reconciliation Commission".
Reconciliation
The Power of Forgiveness
Martin Doblmeier, 2007; 78 mins.
From Ground Zero to Northern Ireland to the Amish Countryside, this film
explores the transformative power of forgiveness.
Other Borderline Insanity
Checkpoint
Yoav Shamir, 2003; 80 mins.
Documentary about checkpoints manned by Israeli Defense Forces in the
Palestinian territories, everyday reality for the thousands who pass
daily.
Other Borderline Insanity
Guelwaar
Ousmane Sembene, 1992; 115 mins.
The satirical and serious collide in story of burial of a Christian
political activist in a Muslim cemetery, from Senegalese "father of African
cinema."
Further Cultural Crossings
Persepolis
Vincent Paronnaud & Marjane Satrapi, 2007; 95 mins.
Coming-of-age story of precocious and outspoken young Iranian girl during
Islamic Revolution. Animation based on graphic novel.
Further Cultural Crossings
Lost Holiday
Lucie Kralova, 2007; 84 mins.
22 rolls of undeveloped film are found in a Swedish dumpster. A search
for these Chinese tourists in a world where every fourth
person is Chinese.
