The world premiere of Dino Mustafić's unusual Bosnian dark comedy The Ward, set in a retirement home, will open the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival on Friday evening.
The film centers on "a group of residents at a retirement home who, after years of abuse and humiliation, decide to stage an armed revolt," a synopsis explains. "Armed with illegal weapons, they take over the home, hold the staff hostage, and clash with the authorities."
The screenplay for The Pavilion was written by Viktor Ivančić, with Emir Imamović Pirke as co-writer. The directors of photography are Almir đikoli and Mustafa Mustafić, the editor is Vladimir Gojun, and the music is by Bojan Zulfikarpašić, with costume design by Zhaklina Krstevska and set design by Mirna Ler.
The cast includes Rade Šerbedžija known to a global audience of people such as 24 , Snatch , Mission: Impossible 2 , Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Taken 2 Zijah Sokolović, Miralem Zubčević, Ksenija Pajić, Jasna Diklić, Branka Petrić, Meto Jovanovski, Vladimir Jurc Lali, Kaća Dorić, Muhamed Bahonjić, Ivoquić, ermin BRAVO, ALBAJEJ, NIKLAJAJE, MUHAMEJE. Butijer, Vedrana Božinović and Mirjana Karanović.
The film was produced by Panglas (Bosnia and Herzegovina), in co-production with CinePlanet (Croatia), Film Krug (North Macedonia), Monte Royal Pictures (Serbia), Natenano Productions (Montenegro) and Realstage (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
"This is a film about the older generation who have chosen to act according to their conscience in today's world," Mustafić said. "They rise up in rebellion. And rebellions, by nature, come in all forms. This one is different."
The 31st edition of the Sarajevo Festival takes place from August 15 to 22.
'The Pavilion'
Courtesy of the Sarajevo Film Festival
Ahead of the world premiere of The Pavilion , Thr asked the director about his return to filmmaking, the creative team behind the film, and his excitement about debuting it in Sarajevo.
Why did you want to direct The Pavilion And how did writers Viktor and Emir pitch the script to you? I believe you all knew each other beforehand?
Because it came to me at the right time and from the right direction. I know Viktor and Emir extremely well: I worked on their texts in the theater, so I know their writing style, and they know mine. We're friends; many things connect us together, from a sense of humor to our worldview.
The script was based on Viktor's novel. When they sent me the script, I didn't read it with a "cool head" but with the feeling: "Here, they've cooked up something that will touch me and anger me at the same time." And [that was] good. The characters are alive, the story captures you, and the themes are bitter but necessary.
Is the story of the film based on a true story?
It's not a specific case, but it could be, and unfortunately, that's what hurts the most. In this story, there are so many familiar patterns in our society: corruption, neglect, greed… even while we were filming, there were similar episodes in nursing homes in Serbia and Croatia. These are everyday news stories, only we compressed them into an hour and a half of film time, making them feel even more intense.
Do you feel that the themes of the film are not just specific to your country?
These are indeed universal themes. Here we recognize them by our names and streets, but the same things happen in London, Buenos Aires, or Istanbul. Profit before dignity, the abuse of power, manipulating the weak: this is a global catalog of problems. The Pavilion doesn't show "our special misfortune" but rather what we share with the rest of the planet.
Dino Mustafić
Where did you find the actors? I recognized Rade from some of his Hollywood work.
Everyone knows Rade Šerbedžija as a big movie star from this region, and that was a sure thing: he brings experience but also his eternal curiosity to explore new movie characters. The rest of the cast is very experienced, with many films and roles. I've worked with some of them in the theater, and I know others from my first feature film. These are actors who inspire me, and I think they elevate the quality of the film.
On set, experience and freshness complement each other and sometimes challenge each other. And that's a good thing because the film thrives on this mix of older and younger actors.
Why did you decide to return to filmmaking more than 20 years after your film? Did you consider directing in those years between films, or did you focus on your other activities?
I haven't escaped film; rather, circumstances led me to develop my career more in theater, which led me toward the stage. But film has always been somewhere beneath the surface. The script for Pavilion reminded me how much that kind of storytelling is in my blood. It wasn't an "It's Time" decision, but an internal feeling: "If I don't film this, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
Do you know what he'll do next?
I'm soon starting work on a new film that touches on our past in the town of Prijrecor. The film is titled Swallow ( Bracelets ) and opens with a wartime story based on the factual tragedy of that town, when people were ordered by the local military authorities to kill them because of their ethnic origin (Bosniaks and Croats). The film follows the story of a young interethnic couple whose love, amidst the whirlwind of a bloody history, remains pure, unchanged, and exalted. Therefore, this upcoming film is completely different in genre and theme from Pavilion .
How special is it for you to open the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival with your film?
It's an honor that warms your heart and makes your stomach clench a little. Sarajevo is my city, and the SFF has long become a global address. Opening the festival means telling a story first to those who know you best, but also in front of guests from around the world. It's a moment when your home turf and your global premiere merge into the same feeling, and believe me, that doesn't happen often.
