Mostar United
Mostar United- Director
- Claudia Tosi
- Country
- Italy, Slovenia
- Year
- 2008
- Genre
- Documentary
- Scriptwriters
- Claudia Tosi
- Production
- Stefilm International, Petra Pan Film Production, Multicanal Iberia; in collaboration with Lichtpunt, YLE FST, NRK - The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, RTV BiH Bosnia-Erzegovina, RTV Slovenija, RTSI Televisione Svizzera
Storyline
It's been years since the war ended, but Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina is still a divided city. Ethnic conflicts are kept alive in a town split into a Croatian and a Bosnian side. All symbols of the former unity have disappeared, apart from the multicultural soccer team Velez, where the Bosniak Mensud Durakovic coaches the youth teams. Because of their young age, the children don't remember the war, but the conflict still manages to get to them. At Mensud's son Dzenen's high school, for example, Bosniaks and Croatians are in different classes. "They are learning the history of the Republic of Croatia, while we learn the history of Bosnia-Herzegovina," Dzenen explains.
Coach Durakovic tries to teach his players more about each other by organising mixed football tournaments and making sure everything goes smoothly. Unfortunately, the reality is that police have to attend every game, and hooligans spread hatred with their slogans. Dzenen, who might grow up to be a professional soccer player one day, often thinks about leaving town. He's fed up with the way people treat each other. "We kids aren't guilty of any of this." Director Claudia Tosi followed father and son Durakovic for four years, a period during which hope and disappointment continually alternate with one another.
Festivals & Academy awards and others
Trieste Film Festival 2009
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2008
Call for proposals Development
Call for proposals Tv Broadcasting
Year 2007
Call number 06/2007
Media support 30.000 euro
Distribution:
Stefilm International (Italy)
Lichtpunt (Belgium)
FST - Yle (Finland)
NRK - The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (Norway)
RTV BiH Bosnia-Erzegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
