Quo Vadis, Aida? | Rotten Tomatoes (original) (raw)

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Critics Consensus

Quo Vadis, Aida? uses one woman's heartbreaking conflict to offer a searing account of war's devastating human toll.

David Stratton The Australian The achievement of Zbanic’s compelling, deeply moving film is to give faces and personalities to the victims. And towering above them all is the character of Aida as she tenaciously fights to save her men. Rated: 4.5/5 Feb 23, 2022 Full Review Sandra Hall Sydney Morning Herald It’s so harrowing that you have to remind yourself to breathe. But you won’t forget it, which is exactly the way Zbanic wants it. Rated: 4.5/5 Feb 23, 2022 Full Review A.A. Dowd AV Club banić supplies the material with an urgency familiar to the docudramas of Paul Greengrass, except with a strong current of despair and outrage that doesn't always poke through that filmmaker's meticulously detailed you-are-there accounts. Dec 3, 2021 Full Review Annlee Ellingson CineWomen The horror experienced by Aida — and this entire town — is only emphasized in a devastating coda that demonstrates just how depraved these events were, and how profoundly the world failed them. Jul 29, 2024 Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia Žbanić, sheltered with a finely tuned aesthetic, offers a raw and deeply human vision at the horrors of the Bosnian war. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 7/10 Jun 14, 2024 Full Review Sarah Vincent Sarah G Vincent Views “Quo Vadis, Aida?” is a great period film that drops viewers in the middle of the action in an unfamiliar place. Director Jasmila Zbanic uses Aida as a focal point to become emotionally invested since the scope of the people in jeopardy is so vast Jun 10, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Elver C Moving, human, hard to watch but overall very bold, "Quo Vadis, Aida?" not only serves as a historical document of one of the darkest chapters in recent European history but also as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in dark times that seems to speak to our times more than anything. One of the best international films of the 2020s. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/14/24 Full Review Audience Member One of the best movies I have seen. Utterly engaging and puts you right in the middle of Aida trying to save her family. I'll never forget this movie. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/26/24 Full Review Kevin M Incredibly tense and stirring film about the 1995 Srebrenica massacre during the Bosnian War. You are right there with Aida as she desperately tries to save her family from the Serbian soldiers. Jasna Đuričić is brilliant as Aida. Why wasn’t she nominated for Best Actress? I have a soft spot for films about the Bosnian War, having lived there, known people that lived through it, heard the disdain they have for the toothless UN whose “peacekeepers” they watched stand by as atrocities took place right in front of them. Gets my pick for Best International Feature Film of 2021. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/18/24 Full Review Molly M Bosnia-Herzegovina's submission for the 93rd Academy Awards is a heart-wrenching story fuelled by a mother's desire to protect her family. Throughout the 101 minutes, viewers are taken on a harrowing journey through crowded UN bases to wartorn towns and cities. Based on a true story, 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' follows Aida Selmanagić (Jasna Đuričić), a translator for the UN, from a small town known as Srebrenica. When the Serbian army takes over the town, her family is among the thousands of residents forced to leave their homes and seek shelter within the UN base where she works. Despite her family being in imminent danger, Aida must remain calm and collected while Bosnian General Ratko Mladić (Boris Isaković) engages in negotiations to maintain the civilians 'safety'. Will Aida be able to save her family while translating crucial information? Jasna Đuričić gives a sensational performance in the leading role. Her portrayal of Aida is effortlessly fuelled by a mother's love for her family. Her need to protect her family oozes off the screen and only makes viewers sympathise even more with the character. The supporting cast also gives exceptional performances. Boris Isaković plays General Ratko with a perfect amount of arrogance, he portrays him as the monster he is without being too in your face. Izudin Bajrović, Boris Ler and Dino Bajrović all provide performances that show just how daunting a situation they're in. Director Jasmila Žbanić delivers such a devastating and brutal film to viewers, all the while keeping them interested and keeping the film moving. As well as directing, Žbanić also serves as producer and writer, providing the cast with a beautifully written script to work from. Christine A Maier's cinematography is utterly captivating, with imagery ranging from tight close-ups to wide shots framing swarms of helpless civilians, shocking viewers and giving them something to sympathise with that isn't Aida's struggle. Frequent handheld shots make viewers feel even more immersed in the gut-wrenching tragedy unfolding in front of them. 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' does an excellent job of showing Aida's struggle as well as the wider problem, Aida's family isn't the only family displaced by the horrors of war. Žbanić also includes scenes that help viewers to realise just how many people had been affected by what was going on at the time. The numerous close-ups of character's faces throughout the film add yet another layer of emotion for viewers to sympathise with, and maybe even relate to. The film also does a great job following Aida's struggle as a mother to keep her family safe, begging on her knees and hiding them in machines in an effort to keep them near to her and away from whatever fate may lie ahead. The film will appeal to many people as not only does it explore themes of family, but it also explores the idea of war. 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' isn't the first film made about the Srebrenica massacre, films like 'Srebrenica: A Cry from the Grave' and 'Circles' both follow the horrors that occurred during the Bosnian War, which only ended roughly 25 years ago. Overall, 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' is a harrowing tale that depicts the savagery of war and the desperation to keep your family safe. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Genti M There's no real flaw here. A deeply touching and realistically disturbing true story. Having lived most of my life in Eastern Europe, I understand this particular pain more so than others. Kind of difficult to stop thinking about this film even after some time. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/26/22 Full Review Kyle M "Life is Beautiful" is a titular reminder against its horrifically devastating backdrop with effective efforts brought stirred emotional promises, and the trauma gets replayed in this emotionally weighted societally disastrous thriller that unfortunately states history repeats itself under same applied rules as reincarnation onto elsewhere. Its critically acclaimed stature shall be its main draw if dramatized historical events are unheard of prior to viewing, which should typically change afterwards when fully grasped what it was building up towards with evoked shock value that rarely punches cinematically, before punching harder amid depressing closure leading into a poetic polishing end. Brilliantly directed as dread looms uncertainty, powerfully performed enabling connective resonance, and emotionally punched at ideal appropriateness – brief further research showed another side that's best left implied, this type of historical exposure spread intimate awareness towards overseas events that deserves our acknowledging attention via impactful visions. (B+) Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/16/22 Full Review Read all reviews

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Synopsis Bosnia, July 11th 1995. Aida is a translator for the United Nations in the small town of Srebrenica. When the Serbian army takes over the town, her family is among the thousands of citizens looking for shelter in the UN camp. As an insider to the negotiations Aida has access to crucial information that she needs to interpret. What is at the horizon for her family and people -- rescue or death? Which move should she take?

Director

Jasmila Zbanic

Producer

Damir Ibrahimovich, Jasmila Zbanic

Screenwriter

Jasmila Zbanic

Distributor

Super LTD

Production Co

Razor Film Produktion GmbH, Radiotelevizija Bosne i Hercegovine (BHRT), Digital Cube, Tordenfilm AS, Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) [at], Indie Prod, Deblokada Produkcija, ZDF/Arte, Coop99 Filmproduktion, Extreme Emotions, TRT, N279 Entertainment

Genre

Drama, War

Original Language

Bosnian

Release Date (Theaters)

Mar 5, 2021, Limited

Release Date (Streaming)

Mar 15, 2021

Runtime

1h 42m