Linkshoch Wonderful Movie

Redwarmin This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Raetsonwe Redundant and unnecessary.

ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

angelcasillas-41130 One of the main depictions of this film is the struggle of a young woman to survive encampment during the Bosnian war. The Yugoslav state suffered and became divided as Croats declared independence and the Serbians tried to claim what they thought was theirs. THe result was the encampment of Bosnians including the Main character Samira. Samira is a very interesting character to say the least. Although one might think that Samira is selfish because she cares only about her survival because she sleeps with the Serbian captain running the camp, I believe there is a dual nature in our protagonist. Firstly, I think humans innately want to survive. I think its part of our nature and is why we have lasted thousands of years. Samira engages in survival sex even if it involves sleeping with a Serbian causing so much death and destruction. Even so, I think that the second part of Samira's nature is that she cares for others even if she does not want to. When she got gathered from the village, all she asked was who was to teach the children if she was gone. At the camp, one of the first things she does is help a sick man and give her bread to a hungry child. While engaging in the survival sex, she brings the other women food even if they call her out for holding onto her identity and also for seeing the captain. She takes care of the little girl after she was raped. At the very end of the movie, when she realizes she has a baby, she tries to abandon it. Emphasis on the "tries." She just couldn't. The final scene includes her coming back and breastfeeding the child as she cries. So even when trying to be selfish and abandon the product of a rape, she simply cannot help but to be there for the innocent. That is the resilience of a lot of the women of the concentration camps. Many were raped and tortured. THere is not much to say for Bosniak men in the film since they were basically all killed, but this film portrays the strength of women in troubling times.

minjoo-00707 Even after the screen turned black, I could not get some brutal images out of my head. Throughout the whole time, I was cringing every second to the extent that my body actually hurt in the end. It was painful not because it was a terrible movie, but because it was so powerful in many different ways. The actress was absolutely flawless in conveying the emotion and maintaining the tension throughout, and the director did a wonderful job putting it together through unique editing technique that involved segmented scenes, shots focusing on facial expressions, and few dialogues. Moreover, this movie intentionally leaves some of the controversial issues regarding concentration camps ambiguous, providing a room for the audience to contemplate on them and form their own opinions. One of the major moral controversies arising regarding the concentration camps is the matter of survival sex. The main character, Samira, is sexually violated in the concentration camp by Serbian soldiers. After experiencing and observing repeated incidents, she decides to not succumb to this cycle. She goes to meet the captain and engages in a sexual relationship with him in order to survive through the camp. There are two perspectives in viewing her action: using sex for survival or regaining her identity as a woman. If one views her action as an example of survival sex, it becomes morally questionable. If she was a perfect victim previously, she now chooses not to be one, thus using her sexuality for survival. The movie conveys both sides through the fellow victims talking behind her. Some support her actions, but others criticize her. By showing both sides, the movie deliberately chooses not to make a decision, allowing the audience to continue on with the conversation. The most emotionally poignant scene personally is the later part of the movie when she realizes that she is pregnant. This part actualizes the concept that the camp never leaves the victims. Imagine having to raise the perpetrator's baby. The complex emotions she must have felt are well delivered through her facial expressions, flashbacks, and her conflicting actions. The peak is when Samira bursts into tears, which contrasts to the straight face she has kept throughout the entire camp experience. Choosing that as the last scene of the play was also a smart choice, as it had a powerful impact on the audience.

hrudolph-85358 This film, although extremely emotionally tolling and difficult to watch, is an important film depicting a women's internment camp during the Bosnian war. The main character, Samira, provides an accurate insight into the struggles facing women in these camps. These insights reach beyond our knowledge of the already terrible rapes and assaults that were so prominent, and give a look at the internal struggles facing these women and the effects of this treatment. The beginning of the film depicts the men being separated from the women, brought outside, and all shot to death. This is such a small, short scene in the film which demonstrated the normalcy of these murderous acts. It was't something the movie had to focus in on, it was clear what was happening and no questions had to be asked. The film then moves on to the main focus: Samira's experience in this dehumanizing camp. The film contains little dialogue, however dialogue is unneeded. Samira's facial expressions, body language and actions are enough to depict the pain and suffering she experiences throughout her time in the camp. In fact, the lack of dialogue is a smart choice on the part of Juanita Wilson because it allows the viewers to feel what Samira must have felt and allows them to throw themselves into her character more than if Samira had just described her feelings in words. It also demonstrates how women in these camps really were forced into silence following the things they had to endure. After the first rape, Samira could barely speak. She struggled to recover from this haunting experience and hid away in silence for a while until she realized that she was a human, not an animal as they saw her, and swore to grasp back onto her "womanhood" by putting on makeup and trying to look nice, something the other women disapproved of. This film also depicts the blurred line of morality in these camps. When Samira starts sleeping with the captain, there is a debate among the other women that she overhears. One says they would do the same thing while the other says it's a disgrace. Samira is doing what she thinks she has to do to survive, no matter how wrong it may be. The dynamic between Samira and the captain is obviously one where the captain has the upper hand. This is clearly still a case of rape because consent cannot exist in a camp such as this. Samira is aware of her lack of power in this situation and the captain is aware that Samira will do anything he tells her to do. The captain is portrayed in a way that could be seen as not completely evil, however the fact that he takes advantage of his power in this way makes him just as bad as any other rapist in that camp. The ending to the movie is another smart choice by Juanita Wilson because it shows that the suffering goes beyond liberation from the camp. Samira will forever see the pain she went through when she looks at her child, and will forever be reminded of who the father was. There is no end to suffering no matter how physically free these survivors are.

ejs170639 Juanita Wilson depicts female experiences during the Bosnian War in her film As If I'm Not There. The main character, Samira, is a composite of women's ordeals in camps during the war. The film includes graphic depictions of rape, violence, and survival. Wilson made the choice to have minimal dialogue, which forces the audience to focus on dramatized light and sound. These sensory details in addition to Samira's sober facial expressions set the tone for each scene. Many of Samira's experiences reflect the experience of camp survivors. For instance, Samira's yearning for her pre-war life is depicted by her characterizing home as she soothes the dying schoolgirl who has been gang raped and brutalized for the last time to bed. Samira also asks the captain towards the end of the film if she gets to go home, as if her once home still exists. Another example is Samira's struggle to retain her identity. She claims she puts on makeup and dresses herself well because it's who she is. She also identifies as a teacher from Sarajevo to the Captain. The film also depicts camp life with a fair amount of accuracy. The temporary nature of camp circumstances leads to gossip and rumors. The interruption of childhood innocence is depicted by a schoolgirl being distracted by a butterfly. The schoolgirl claims it's not dangerous to her mother. The fragmentation of guards is portrayed through the captain who is manipulating and raping Samira, yet has an eight-year-old son. The inescapable nature of camp experience is symbolized by Samira accepting the child, who is the result of repeated rapes during her time in the camp.