Basically this is a story of Sarajevo, although the first half of the film concentrates on the way foreign journalists face daily life in the besieged city. Gradually the focus shifts onto the citizens themselves, as we are introduced to old people dying in indiscriminate attacks, young men trying to make a living any way they can, helpless babies being born into this world without a choice, random executions, people chosen for slaughter because of their names – all the horrors are shown unflinchingly.
Last year’s Oscar winner, No Man’s Land, tread similar ground but I prefer Winterbottom’s version. The powerlessness of the onlookers, the guilt, the suffering are all there on the silver screen. The viewer is forced to confront the issues, and no easy answers are provided. As Woody Harrelson’s reporter says: Welcome to the 14th worst place on Earth.
The movie shows Winterbottom experimenting with mixing drama and documentary, using actual news footage in the middle of reconstructed situations. The combination works well, as the horrors of reality cannot ever be really conveyed by fiction. Winterbottom went on to fine the technique later on in 24 Hour Party People which mixes the two seamlessly.
Based on a real story – those dreaded words – and made by outsiders, Welcome to Sarajevo manages to overcome those obstacles and is easily one of the most important movies of 1997 (the year of La Vita é Bella) and obligatory viewing for everyone.
Rating: € € € €
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