Synopsis

A group of war veterans from the formerly hostile fractions of the Yugoslav conflict come together by the commitment of a peace organisation in an abandoned Serbian mountain hotel. In a joint workshop of several days under the direction of the dedicated Slovenian therapist Ivan, they will work on their traumatic experiences from the “Leaden Times” and overcome their old resentments in the course of discussions and exercises. But as soon as something like a first sense of community between the men sets in, it also seems to be quickly lost again. Old allegations are surfacing, and the former Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian war opponents turn the seminar room into a battlefield, crisscrossed by emotional trenches that won’t be overcome with old songs and shots. Alen Drljević, former assistant director of Jasmila Žbanić in her Berlinale winning film Grbavica, brings together the best actors from erstwhile Yugoslavia in his feature film debut, a well-watched psychological chamber play like. His film was awarded two prizes at the International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary and submitted as a contribution of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the Oscar of Foreign Language Film category.