Welcome to Sarajevo (1997)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Michael Winterbottom

Writers:

Michael Nicholson (book)
Frank Cottrell Boyce (writer)

Release Date:

26 November 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

For this celebrated, outrageous, adrenaline-loving bunch of reporters, home is the latest war zone. Now, one of them is about to do the unthinkable--get emotionally involved.

Plot:

Journalist Floyd from US, Michael Henderson from UK and their teams meet the beginning of Bosnian war in Sarajevo...

Plot Keywords:

Bosnian War | Orphanage | England | Sarajevo | War Aftermath

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Stephen Dillane	...	Michael Henderson
Woody Harrelson	...	Flynn
Marisa Tomei	...	Nina
Emira Nusevic	...	Emira
Kerry Fox	...	Jane Carson
Goran Visnjic	...	Risto Bavic
James Nesbitt	...	Gregg
Emily Lloyd	...	Annie McGee
Igor Dzambazov	...	Jacket
Gordana Gadzic	...	Mrs. Savic
Juliet Aubrey	...	Helen Henderson
Drazen Sivak	...	Zeljko
Vesna Orel	...	Munira
Davor Janjic	...	Dragan
Vladimir Jokanovic	...	Emira's Uncle
Izudina Brutus	...	Lucky Strike
Labina Mitevska	...	Sonja
Sanja Buric	...	Alma
Haris Secic	...	Altar Boy
Kerry Shale	...	UN Convoy Official
Majda Tusar	...	Woman Baker
Miralem Zupcevic	...	Baker's Husband
Peter Kelly	...	UN Vip
Dijana Bolanca	...	Nina Co-Worker
Nino Levi	...	Zivko
Berina Salijevic	...	Road Runner
Frank Dillane	...	Christopher Henderson
Paige Brogan-Smith	...	Jane Henderson
Petre Arsovski	...	Joey (as Petar Arsovski)
Viktorija Peceva	...	Ajsha
Nikolina Kujaca	...	Bride
Joana Popovska	...	Bride's Mother
Natali Rajcinovska	...	Bride'a Sister
Brankica Jankoska	...	Hairdresser
Dragan Marinkovic	...	Chetnik Leader
Senad Basic	...	Svercer
Ines Hadzovic	...	Hospital Girl
Cesar Adi	...	Child on Bus
Milan Plestina	...	Beauty Contest Compere
Ines Fancovic	...	Woman shouting at bread queue
Haris Sarvan	...	Black Marketeer #1
Pejdah Dzevad	...	Black Marketeer #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Viktorija Cherepnalkovska	...	Ajsha (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Winterbottom

Writing credits
Michael Nicholson		(book "Natasha's Story")
Frank Cottrell Boyce		(writer)

Produced by
Ismet Arnautalic	....	producer: Croatia
Graham Broadbent	....	producer
Damian Jones	....	producer
Paul Sarony	....	line producer
Ivo Sunjic	....	associate producer: Croatia
David Ball	....	line producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Adrian Johnston

Cinematography by
Daf Hobson

Film Editing by
Trevor Waite

Casting by
Simone Ireland
Vanessa Pereira

Production Design by
Mark Geraghty
Kemal Hrustanovic

Art Direction by
Kemal Hrustanovic
David Minty
Terry Pritchard		(supervising art director)

Costume Design by
Janty Yates

Makeup Department
Tomislav Markunovic	....	assistant makeup artist: Bosnia
Alenka Nahtigal	....	assistant makeup artist
Anne Oldham	....	hair designer
Anne Oldham	....	makeup designer
Alex Volpe	....	hair stylist
Alex Volpe	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Mensud Arslanovic	....	assistant production manager: Croatia
Geoff Austin	....	production manager: UK
Boris Gregoric	....	production manager: Croatia
Stephen Law	....	post-production supervisor
Sally Morgan	....	production manager
Branislav Brana Srdic	....	production manager: Macedonia
Alex Sutherland	....	production manager
Paul Webster	....	head of production: Miramax

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rohan Berry	....	third assistant director
Richard Bramford	....	third assistant director
Petar Buntic	....	first assistant director: Bosnia Herzegovina
Filip Cemerski	....	first assistant director: Macedonia
Slobodan Dedeic	....	assistant director
William Dutton	....	second assistant director
Sean Guest	....	first assistant director
Ahmed Imamovic	....	first assistant director: Bosnia Herzegovina
Elmir Jukic	....	second assistant director: Bosnia Herzegovina
Tomislav Lukicic	....	third assistant director
Mary Soan	....	first assistant director
James Wilkinson	....	third assistant director: Croacia
Celia Willett	....	second assistant director: Croacia

Art Department
Ismet Begtasévic	....	property master
Billy Bridge	....	stand-by construction
Peta Button	....	set dresser: UK
Maya Crome	....	art department runner: UK
Douglas Glen	....	dressing props: UK
Alastair Gow	....	stand-by carpenter
Robert Jazadziski	....	assistant art director
Mike Malik	....	property master
Halid Patkovic	....	painter: Bosnia
Paul Purdy	....	property master: UK
Ragib Salam	....	property buyer
Charlotte Taylor	....	production buyer: UK
Bill Webb	....	dressing props: UK

Sound Department
Peter Baldock	....	supervising sound editor
James Boyle	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Conway	....	dialogue editor
Gillian Dodders	....	foley editor
John Falcini	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer
Adele Kellett	....	assistant sound effects editor (as Adele Kellet)
Jacques Leroide	....	foley editor (as Jaques Leroide)
Rupert Miles	....	assistant sound effects editor
Kate Morath	....	boom operator
Beryl Mortimer	....	foley artist
Chris Nuttall	....	sound editor
Richard Pryke	....	assistant re-recording mixer
Jack Stew	....	foley artist
Kevin Tayler	....	foley mixer
Martin Trevis	....	sound
Timothy Vine	....	foley editor (as Tim Vine)
Aad Wirtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Iain Eyre	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Eliott Bechtol	....	special effects technician
Gary Cohen	....	special effects technician
Alan Whibley	....	special effects supervisor

Stunts
Zeljko Bozic	....	stunts: musliman victim
Rod Woodruff	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Sead Bihorac	....	camera grip: Macedonia
Buddy Blackwell	....	video playback operator (as George Buddy Blackwell)
Zvonko Blaskovic	....	electrician: Croatia
John Conroy	....	assistant camera
John Conroy	....	focus puller
Martin Healey	....	best boy
Andy Long	....	gaffer
Vince McGahon	....	Steadicam operator
Vince McGahon	....	camera operator
Jimmy Nesbitt	....	camera operator: Betacam
Len O'Brien	....	generator operator
Marjan Ognenovski	....	assistant camera: Macedonia
John Robinson	....	camera grip (as jonathan robinson)
Jonathan Robinson	....	camera grip
Roman Rogulja	....	focus puller: Croatia
Vlado Rukavina	....	grip: Croatia
Robert Shacklady	....	focus puller: pick-up shots
Nenad Smiljanic	....	clapper loader: Croatia
Laurie Sparham	....	still photographer
Oliver Tellet	....	clapper loader
Jason Wall	....	electrician: UK

Casting Department
Kerry Barden	....	casting: USA
Pero Buric	....	casting: Bosnia Herzcegovina
Irina Damic	....	casting: Croatia
Deborah Maxwell Dion	....	casting assistant
Billy Hopkins	....	casting: US
Alex Nikolic	....	location casting associate: Macedonia
Danielle Roffe	....	casting assistant
Suzanne Smith	....	casting: US

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sabina Buzdon	....	wardrobe assistant
Emira Kaliman	....	wardrobe assistant: Bosnia
Zaklina Krstevska	....	assistant costume designer
Christian Motta	....	costumer
Amanda Trewin	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Susan Bodnar	....	editor trainee
Peter Christelis	....	first assistant editor
Katie Goodson	....	post-production runner
Jo Harland	....	second assistant editor
Jim Lownie	....	lightworks operator
Folasade Oyeleye	....	lightworks operator
Andrew Perrier	....	editor trainee
Alison Smith	....	editor trainee

Music Department
Nick Ingman	....	conductor
Laurence Kaye	....	music supervisor
Steve Lindsey	....	music supervisor
Fiona Looney	....	assistant music supervisor
Beth Rosenblatt	....	soundtrack producer
Christopher Warren-Green	....	music director

Transportation Department
Mickey Kurilic	....	action vehicle coordinator

Other crew
Stefan Aleksov	....	crowd marshall
Cate Arbeid	....	production coordinator
Molly Atkins	....	cashier
Hilary Benson	....	production coordinator
Viktorija Cherepnalkovska	....	production secretary
Juliet Clarke	....	producer secretary
Emma Davie	....	unit publicist
Cherry Fiddaman	....	production accountant
Emily Grant	....	runner
Biki Jandrevska	....	production secretary: Macedonia
Cameron K.	....	assistant to producers
Drago Klincic	....	accountant
Susanna Lenton	....	script supervisor
Sara Morris	....	production secretary
Kevin Phelan	....	video to film producer: selected scenes, CFC
Roger Phillips	....	title designer
Mick Ratman	....	location manager
Sherralyn Rowlands	....	location assistant: UK
Edin Sarkic	....	location manager: Bosnia
Dana Sims	....	assistant to producers
Gordana Suvalija	....	assistant to director
Karen Thrussell	....	production office runner: UK
Tessa Wolpe	....	accounts assistant
Nina Zeckovic	....	production secretary: Croatia

Production Companies

• Channel Four Films
• Dragon Pictures
• Miramax Films

Distributors

• Buena Vista International (1998) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1998) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment
• Atalanta Filmes (Portugal)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Diaphana Films (France)
• Manuel Salvador (UK)
• Miramax Films (USA)
• Warner Home Vídeo (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• First Effects

Other Companies

• ARRI Lighting Rental  light equipment
• Angels & Bermans  costume hiring
• Axis Films  sound equipment
• Capitol Records  soundtrack
• Cine Image Film Opticals  opticals
• Computer Film Company, The (CFC)  video to film transfer: selected scenes
• Frameline Productions Ltd.  title design
• Goldcrest Post Production London  post-production services
• Grip House  grip equipment
• Interact Sound Ltd.  sound recorded at
• Matador Records  soundtrack
• Miramax Records  soundtrack
• Oculus  lightworks
• Pinewood Studios  sound recorded at
• Rank Film Laboratories  film lab
• Reelsound  post-production sound
• Samuelson Film Service  camera equipment
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Sound Design Company, The  pro tools system

Also Known As:

Sarajevo (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for brutal images/war atrocities and language.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Serbo-Croatian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Company:

Channel Four Films

Goofs:

Continuity: When the bus is stopped by the Chetniks, the gun of the leader alternates between being a type of Kalashnikov and a French FAMAS.

Quotes:

Michael Henderson: The Beatles aren't English. They're from Liverpool.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Eve Of Destruction

The Sad Effect of a War in the Children

In Sarajevo, the British journalist Michael Henderson (Stephen Dillane) is correspondent of war, who decides to cover the orphans' situation due to the Bosnia war. Through successive matters, he tries to show and sensitize the public opinion about this ignored war. Meanwhile, he gets emotionally involved with Emira (Emira Nusevic), a young Bosnian girl. He decides to take the chance and brings her to the breast of his family in London. Some time later, the girl's mother is found alive and requests the care of her daughter. Michael returns to Sarajevo to convince her to let him adopt Emira. The first time I watched this impressing movie was in 1999 and indeed it was the first film about the Bosnian war that I have seen. The director Michael Winterbottom makes a magnificent work, alternating reality and fiction through images. Based on a true event, he uses real war footages intercalating with his film to show the atrocities of this war, having the focus on the children. Stephen Diallane, Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei, Emira Nusevic and the rest of the cast have brilliant performances. There is a very special and cynical scene that I like a lot, when the American journalist Flynn apologizes to a local in the name of the American people for the non-intervention of USA in this dirty war. This is maybe the best line of the great actor Woody Harrelson in this excellent movie. This week I have watched five films about this war and all of them are really excellent and highly recommended. If the reader likes this theme and wants to see different approaches, do not miss `Harrison's Flowers', `Vulkovar', `Pretty Village, Pretty Flame' and `Shot Through the Heart'. I intend to see again the magnificent `Savior' and `No Man's Land' along this week also about this horrible war. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): `Bem Vindo a Sarajevo' (`Welcome to Sarajevo')