ESMA’S SECRET – GRBAVICA (2006)

Grbavica (2006)

The movie good?:

Highly recommended.
Tell the story of post-war event in Bosnia to one single mother, her daughter, his friends, his male friend and particularly to the people of Sarajevo in the aftermath of the Balkan War, where people mainly of Bosnian Muslim and Crotian was systematically raped and the men was murdered as what they called as the ‘ethnic-cleansing’. The impact of the war has left unspoken until the adolescent daughter wanted to know the truth about his syahid (martyr) father.

Tell me, it is worth watching?:

Go see it. It just a simple story and easily captures the heart of ours. Its a sad story and a story of hope to the peoples whose family and country once destroyed because of war. Brilliant acting from both the mother and daughter characters.

IMDb Rating?:

7.2/10

Metacritic Rating?:

71 out of 100 (8.8 user score)

ESMA’S SECRET – GRBAVICA (2006) plot:

Set against the backdrop of a former Yugoslavia of the nineteen-nineties, this is a single mother’s anguish of how one must deal with truths and how to cope with a war’s terrible past. With a twelve year old daughter to bring-up, both mother and child come head-to-head when a school trip is in the air and complications and rude awakenings arise from the ashes’ of the cold and callous days of conflict, xenophobia and its secrets.

ESMA’S SECRET – GRBAVICA (2006) Info:

Esma’s Secret – Grbavica is a 2006 film by Jasmila Žbanić about the life of a single mother in contemporary Sarajevo in the aftermath of systematic rapes of Bosniak women by Serbian troops during the war. It was released in the United Kingdom as Esma’s Secret: Grbavica, and in USA as Grbavica: Land of My Dreams.
The film shows, through the eyes of the main character Esma, her teenage daughter Sara, and others, how everyday life is still being shaped by the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. The title refers to a neighbourhood of Sarajevo Esma lives in. The film was an international co-production between companies from Bosnia, Austria, Croatia and Germany; it received funding from the German television companies ZDF and Arte.
It won the Golden Bear at the 56th Berlin International Film Festival and it was Bosnia & Herzegovina’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 79th Academy Awards.

Director: Jasmila Zbanic
Writers: Jasmila Zbanic
Stars: Mirjana Karanovic, Luna Mijovic, Leon Lucev, Jasna Beri, Kenan Catic
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Language: Bosnian
Genre: Drama

Honors included:
Won Golden Bear – Best Film – 56th Berlin International Film Festival 2006
Won Peace Film Award – Berlin Film Festival 2006
Won Prize of the Ecumenical Jury – Berlin Film Festival 2006
Won KOSMORAMA award – Best Film
Won Reykjavik Film Festival – Best Film
Won AFI Film Festival – Narrative grand jury prize
Won Brussels European Film Festival – Prize TV Canvas for Best Film and Award Best Actress (to Mirjana Karanović)
Won Ourence Film Festival – Award Best Actress (to Mirjana Karanović)
Won Portland International Film Festival – Audience Award
Won Thessaloniki Film Festival – Woman & Equality Award
Won Bosnian-Herzegovinian Film Festival in New York – Audience Award

Nominated for Hollywood World Awards – Best Film
Nominated for Sundance Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize
Nominated for European Film Awards – Best Film and Best Actress

ESMA’S SECRET – GRBAVICA (2006) Trailer:

HACHIKO : A DOG’S STORY (2009)

The movie good?:

Based on a true story always make a good film. Earlier, I am a bit worried and reluctant to see this film because of it’s title. As I don’t want ended up watching some talking dog and stupid joke in the screen, I do some research on the net and I found out it was based on a real life story. And I can tell you it’s not just a good movie. It is a must-see.

Tell me, is it worth watching?:

I’ve read a lots of good reviews about this movie. A lots of them said that they are cried throughout the end of the movie. So I expect that I too will cry but that didn’t happen. Even though I didn’t shed a tear but this movie really touched me. This movie, teaches us first of all about love, there is no power bigger than love, nothing compares to this strong feeling. I don’t want to give a spoiler here so please go watch this movie or buy the DVD or anything. If you already see the film I recommend you to see MY DOG SKIP (2000). This is one of my all time favorite. Also based on true story.

What is it about actually?, ‘cos I don’t want ended up sleeping!!:

Hachiko: A Dog’s Story is a 2009 American drama film based on the true story of the faithful canine, Akita Hachiko. It is a moving film about loyalty and the rare, invincible bonds that occasionally form almost instantaneously in the most unlikely places. This very special friend would accompany his master to the train station every day and return each afternoon to greet him after work. Sadly his master departs one day, passes away and never returns to the station. Hachiko faithfully returns to the same spot at the station the very next day, and every day for the next nine years to wait for his beloved master. During his daily visits, Hachiko touches the lives of many who work near and commute through the town square. He teaches the local people love, compassion and above all unyielding loyalty. Today, a bronze statue of Hachiko sits in his waiting spot outside the Shibuya station in Japan as a permanent reminder of his devotion and love.

IMDb Rating:

IMDb gives 8.1/10

HACHIKO : A DOG’S STORY (2009) Info:

HACHIKO : A DOG’S STORY (2009) is based on the true story of the faithful Akita Hachiko. It is a remake of the 1987 Japanese film Hachiko Monogatari.

Director: Lasse Hallström
Writers: Stephen P. Lindsey (screenplay), Kaneto Shindô (motion picture “Hachiko monogatari”)
Stars: Richard Gere, Joan Allen and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

Honors included:
Best Feature Film at the 2010 Sedona International Film Festival.

Watch HACHIKO : A DOG’S STORY (2009) HD trailer