DEATH IN SARAJEVO

SMRT U SARAJEVU / MORT À SARAJEVO

By Danis TANOVIC

CIRKO FILM KFT. - as DISTR Theatrical, HUNGARY

Drama - Completed 2016

Escalating tensions and age-old disputes turn the financially troubled Hotel
Europe into an ideological pressure cooker when a staff strike threatens to upset an
important gala dinner ... A political thriller from award-winning director Danis Tanovic

Festivals
& Awards

Toronto - TIFF 2016
Contemporary World Cinema
Busan - BIFF/APM 2016
World Cinema
Berlinale - EFM 2016
Silver Bear - Grand Jury Prize
Berlinale - EFM 2016
Fipresci Award
    • Year of production
    • 2016
    • Genres
    • Drama
    • Countries
    • FRANCE, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
    • Languages
    • BOSNIAN, FRENCH, ENGLISH
    • Duration
    • 82 mn
    • Director(s)
    • Danis TANOVIC
    • Writer(s)
    • Danis TANOVIC
    • Producer(s)
    • Fracois MARGOLIN (Margo Cinema), Amra Bakšić ČAMO (SCCA/Pro.BA)
    • Synopsis
    • Sarajevo‘s Hotel Europe is bustling in preparation for tonight‘s European Union gala for the centennial of Archduke Franz Ferdinand‘s assassination. But the disgruntled staff plans to strike because they haven‘t been paid for two months. If this prestigious political dinner fails, the already mortgaged hotel will be shut down by the bank. With no time to lose to stop the strike, hotel manager Omer must turn to tough guy Enzo, who runs the cellar strip club. The staff union rep soon goes missing. Dedicated and pretty chief receptionist Lamija does her absolute best to keep everything running smoothly toward the big event. But things get tricky when her mother Hatidza, of the laundry room, is elected strike leader. The VIP keynote speaker doesn‘t have much time to prepare, and he stumbles through complex details and names. The French guest‘s rehearsals in his room are secretly recorded in B&W. Surveillance is high (literally) due to a nose-happy video security guy. On the hotel roof, TV journalist Vedrana conducts interviews for a centennial special. Among her guests is Gavrilo Princip, the namesake descendant of the Archduke‘s assassin. Firm political stances quickly lead to age-old arguments. From the hotel roof to the cellar club, via the reception, laundry room and kitchen, increasing tensions turn the Hotel Europe into an ideological pressure cooker.