Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020)

Director: Jasmila Zbanic
Stars: Jasna Djuricic, Izudin Bajrovic, Boris Ler
Runtime: 101 minutes

Synopsis: Aida is a translator for the UN in the small town of Srebrenica. When the Serbian army takes over the town, her family is among the thousands of citizens looking for shelter in the UN camp.

Verdict: As I sat speechless staring at my screen while the credits of the Oscar-nominated war film “Quo Vadis, Aida” were rolling, all I could feel was my body filling up with rage. With time, that anger slowly turned into guilt as the idea of it being inspired by a true story started to settle in. A few moments later, the realization that the events taking place in the film are still occurring to thousands of silenced victims around the world made me comprehend how crucial Jasmila Zbanic’s film is, making it a must-see in my books.

Set in 1995, we follow a UN translator named Aida soon after the town of Srebrenica is taken over by the Army of Republika Srpska during the Bosnian War. As the siege is happening, civilians are escorted to a nearby base where she finds herself separated from her family and doing everything within her limited power to make sure that her husband and two sons are safe. Uncertainty and fear roam within the headquarters as the innocent crowd is fully aware that only UN representatives stand between them and enemy troops. It’s a situation that not only paints a discomforting picture of the barbaric nature of war but also highlights how little influence the UN holds in its attempts to guarantee the safety of civilians.

The entire emotional weight of the movie was carried by a performance for the ages from Jasna Djuricic. She perfectly embodied the role of a loving mother who understood that her composure was the key to keep her family close to her. It’s clear to us that an inner battle between her maternal instinct and a gigantic fear of losing her loved ones was taking place inside her head, not allowing her to act rationally and forcing her to make decisions no human being should be forced to make.

War is truly abominable, and “Quo Vadis, Aida” is yet another reminder that it represents humanity at its worst. It’s easily one of my favorite movies of 2020 and one that will undoubtedly haunt me for days on end. Seek it out, it’s well worth your time.

FINAL GRADE: 9/10