The timing couldn’t be better for this Austrian production, as Europe commemorates the centennial of the military conflict that involved many nations, left thousands of casualties, and changed Europe’s map forever. Sarajevo, ground zero.
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| Sarajevo. Picture courtesy of the SouthEast European Film Festival, SEEFest. |
“Sarajevo” is not a war movie. Let’s call it a “Prewar flick,” where conspiracy and greed played a significant role.
The story focuses on Dr. Leo Pfeffer (excellently played by actor Florian Teichtmeister), a magistrate who investigates the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Leo has little time to process the evidence, including witnesses, maps, military corruption, police inefficiency, and the elite. People in power only want war. The assassins were immature, idealistic teenagers who refused to confess who told them to do it.
Leo’s integrity and the love he feels for Marija keep him going against the odds. Leo goes down and dirty to uncover the conspiracy and greed of those on top of him.
“Merry Christmas/Joyeux Noel” is another film set in WWI, but this one focuses more on the war’s cruelty and its human side. “Sarajevo” is more about the investigation and the plotting before the great conflict.
The film is impeccable, accurate, articulate, and linear. It is well directed by Andreas Prochaska (“The Dark Valley”). It is intended to hit the European T.V. market, but a theatrical release in America is in the works.
Some may say it is heavy on stereotyping the Serbs or on Leo being Jewish, but it offers another way to explain how anarchism and racial intolerance created chaos on the Balkan Peninsula a century ago.
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| Sarajevo. Picture courtesy of the SouthEast European Film Festival. |
The Austrian/Czech co-production “Sarajevo” is vivid, featuring strong characters, excellent production values, beautiful sets, elegant costumes, flawless makeup, and splendid cinematography.
Above all, the compelling script by writer Martin Ambrosch, who researched historical documents, locations, and facts, makes the characters and situations believable.
“Sarajevo” is one of the first great films of 2014; no one should miss it. I highly recommend it.
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