07/07/2005

In competition at the Brussels European Film Festival, among films from Cannes, Berlin and Rotterdam, Days and Hours (Kod amidže Idriza) a small film out of Bosnia-Herzogovina, appears to be a feeble challenger. However, the Bosnian directorPjer Žalica, whose first feature Au feu ! [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Fuse), was showered with praise in international festivals before its release, manages a second time to deal with the traumas of the Bosnian conflict with modesty and sensibility. With a sense of the intangible, grave but funny, sad and tender.

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Following a treacherous climb in the hills of Sarajevo in a jolting car, Fuke (Senad Bašic) arrives at the house of his gruff old uncle Idriz (the magnificent Mustafa Nadarevic) and his aunt Sabira (Semka Skolovic-Bertok) to repair a heating system which is also on its last legs. As his uncle chain-smokes while trying to bring an old mandolin back to life, and his aunt prepares at the stove enough to feed the entire neighbourhood, Fuke spends the day in the central-heating room and stays the night, since his car won't start.
With long sequences, Days and Hours settles over the piece, filmed in silence, in dead time of conversations and gestures, stopping now and then on objects which become portraits. Images of a world beat-up world which keeps in its nooks and crannies unrepairable sadness, on which Fuke must also apply his DIY.

It's a pity the ending was a bit folksy, but Days and hours, produced by Refresh Production (who handle international sales) and Ademir Kenovic is a pleasant bitter-sweet surprise.

(Translated from French)