SERBIA: American-made documentary about the post-war situation in Kosovo premieres in the capital Pristina

Record ID: 1531253

  • Title: SERBIA: American-made documentary about the post-war situation in Kosovo premieres in the capital Pristina
  • Date: 19th January 2007
  • Summary: BEGINNING OF THE MOVIE / REAL DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE PEOPLE WATCHING THE MOVIE / DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE SCREEN / DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE
  • Embargoed: 3rd February 2007 08:42
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Serbia
  • Country: Serbia
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7BM0SSYX0PCUQY487VRUYJ044
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: An American-made documentary about the post-war situation in Kosovo has premiered in the capital Pristina just weeks ahead of a decision on the fate of the tense province.
    The auditorium of the Kosovo National Theatre was packed with a mix of Albanians, Western Europeans, Americans and NATO soldiers. It is not unusual in Kosovo these days, eight years after the war.
    They had come to watch an American-made documentary about the pos-war situation in Kosovo, premiering in the capital Pristina just weeks ahead of a decision on the fate of the tense province.
    Made by two young American filmmakers, the film - A View from The Bridge - looks at the ethnic divide in Kosovo between Albanians and Serbs and the legacy of war through the eyes of ordinary people and their stories of war and its aftermath.
    One of the producers, John Ealer, said he was prompted to revisit the Kosovo conflict by conflicts elsewhere.
    "We started making this movie, we started conceiving it after the United States had already gone to Iraq and Afghanistan," he said. "We were really interested in one question, which is 'what happens after the bombs stop falling?' Because we know that you get a lot of coverage of wars, and our military does a great job all over but what, for good and for bad, what are the implications of what our polices are? And we wanted to make a movie that was honest about that, that was told from the people's perspective and not from the perspective of politicians".
    His co-producer Laura Bialis said the time was perfect for the film to be shown. "I think this is the perfect time in the political situation that is right now, this is the time to launch the film, the time to show people these stories so that hopefully to foster more understanding between the different sides," she said.
    A United Nations (U.N.) proposal on the future of Serbia's breakaway province is due in February, after Serbia holds a general election on Sunday (January 21).
    The territory has been run by the U.N. since 1999, when NATO bombs drove out Serb forces accused of ethnic cleansing and atrocities in a two-year war against Kosovo Albanian guerrillas.
    But the film exposed emotions still raw from the conflict and on edge over the imminent proposal.
    The mainly Albanian audience appeared to appreciate the film, but questioned its handling of history and the years of Albanian suffering under Serb rule. Journalist Alma Lama said: "The documentary was interesting. There were interesting characters who were telling what more or less happens here, but it lacked something according to me and that is historical context, and when a foreign audience see this film they won't understand cause and effect."
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