The Abandoned (2010 film)

The Abandoned (Bosnian: Ostavljeni) is a 2010 Bosnian drama film directed by Adis Bakrač, produced by Almir Šahinović and Marie-Anne Coste. The film is a Croatian-French co-production. It stars Mira Furlan, Tony Grga, Mirsad Tuka, Mirela Lambić, Dragan Marinković, Meto Jovanovski, Zijah Sokolović, and was written by Zlatko Topčić. His script caught the attention of producers after winning the 2003 CineLink Screenwriting Competition.[2][3][4][5][6]

The Abandoned
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAdis Bakrač
Written byZlatko Topčić
Produced byAlmir Šahinović
Marie-Anne Coste
Zoran Tasić
Marijo Vukadin
StarringTony Grga
Mira Furlan
Mirsad Tuka
Mirela Lambić
Dragan Marinković
Meto Jovanovski
Zijah Sokolović
CinematographyVladan Radović
Edited byMichko Netchak
Music byVlado Podany
Production
companies
HEFT Production
Olimp Production
Dari Films (Paris)
A+D Films[1]
Distributed byHEFT Production
Summer Hill Films (US)
Release date
Running time
88 minutes
CountriesBosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
France
LanguageBosnian
Budget$5 million

The Abandoned is the story of a boy from a home for abandoned children, who tries to find out the truth about his origins, but enters into a criminal world.[7]

The film premiered at the 45th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival[8][9][10][11][12] on 8 July 2010. The film's US premiere was at the 2011 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.[13][14][15] Tony Grga, who played a thirteen-year-old boy Alen, won the Golden Arena for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2010 Pula Film Festival.[16][17][18][19]

Plot

The story begins in the woods in Bosnia in 1993, when a woman gives birth to a baby boy. Then, the story jumps to 2006. The boy, Alen (Tony Grga), now thirteen, lives in a children's home in Sarajevo.

The former director of the home, Gago (Meto Jovanovski), had told Alen that his mother was French and his father was English, and that they met as war reporters in Sarajevo, but due to the war and professional obligations they had temporarily left him in the home. Alen writes letters to his mother and gives them to educator Cica (Mira Furlan), to be sent to his mother in France. However, Cica places all the letters of children in a drawer, because in reality there is no one to send them to. A new director, Mirza (Mirsad Tuka), who is a young and capable educator, comes to the home.

Near the home is a shop owned by Šento (Dragan Marinković), a criminal. For him, the children steal expensive items. After a failed jewel robbery, police investigate, and Alen worries that they will link him to the robbery. When he gains access to the police files, Alen discovers the real address of his mother, and he leaves the home to find her.[20][21]

Cast and characters
  • Tony Grga as Alen Domić, a boy from the children's home
  • Mira Furlan as Cica, an educator
  • Mirsad Tuka as Mirza Alijagić, director of the home
  • Mirela Lambić as Amila, Alen's mother
  • Dragan Marinković as Šento, shop owner, a criminal
  • Meto Jovanovski as Gago, former director of the home
  • Zijah Sokolović as Muamer, Amila's husband
  • Žan Marolt as a guard
  • Faketa Salihbegović-Avdagić as a cook
  • Ejla Tarakčija-Bavčić as Mrs. Tufekčić
  • Nermin Omić as Mr. Tufekčić
  • Alma Terzić as Zana, a girl from the home
  • Haris Burina as Mehmed, a salesman
  • Alen Goro as Muamer's son
  • Ivana Petrović as Muamer's daughter
  • Rijad Mašović-Riči as drug dealer
  • Alija Aljović as a policeman
  • Nela Dženisijević as a policewoman

Production

Screenwriter Zlatko Topčić described The Abandoned as a "look at the Bosnian war through the eyes of a boy who was born not as the fruit of love, but of hatred, and is part of a whole new people, nameless and unwanted, whose mothers were raped, and the search for identity, the search for his biological parents, who, each with his or her own reasons, do not want him - him, clean, sinless, innocent in everything, uninvolved in the sins of other".[22]

Topčić wrote the screenplay in 2002 (working title of the film: Bare Skin). Later, he wrote the bestseller novel Bare Skin (2004) and the drama of the same name (2007), about the same theme.[23]

Filming

Filming took place in Sarajevo and many other locations. Principal photography began in 2007.[24]

Release

The Abandoned was released worldwide on 8 July 2010, by HEFT Production and Summer Hill Films (US). It was released to cinemas throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina on 7 December 2010.[25][26]

Music

Musician Vlado Podany worked on the soundtrack for the film.[27]

Accolades
List of accolades
Film Festival Year of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
Hollywood Film Festival 2011 Global Grand Jury Prize The Abandoned Won
Best Screenplay Zlatko Topčić Won
SEE A Paris Film Festival 2011 Best Director Adis Bakrač Won [28]
Festróia - Tróia International Film Festival 2011 Jury Special Prize for Best First Feature Adis Bakrač Won [29]
Pula Film Festival 2010 Golden Arena for Best Actor in a Leading Role Tony Grga Won [30]
FEDEORA Award The Abandoned Won [31]
Cinema City International Film Festival 2011 Special Prize FIPRESCI Adis Bakrač Won [32]
Transilvania International Film Festival 2011 Best Screenplay Zlatko Topčić Won [33]
Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2011 Jury Prize The Abandoned Nominated [34]
St. Louis International Film Festival 2013 Best Film The Abandoned Nominated [35]
Ex-YU Fest 2011 Best Film The Abandoned Won [36]
Balkan New Film Festival 2013 Jury Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role Mira Furlan Won [37]
Haifa International Film Festival 2010 Golden Anchor Award The Abandoned Nominated [38]
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2010 East of West Award The Abandoned Nominated [39]
Sarajevo Film Festival 2003 CineLink/Work-in-Progress Award - Best Screenplay Zlatko Topčić Won [40]
Amiens International Film Festival 2010 Golden Unicorn The Abandoned Nominated [41]
Ljubljana International Film Festival 2010 Kingfisher Award The Abandoned Nominated [42]
Alexandria International Film Festival 2011 Best Film The Abandoned Nominated [43]
Golden Carpathian Film Festival 2011 Best Screenplay Zlatko Topčić Won [44]

Reception

Critical response

The film garnered positive reviews.[16] The Hollywood Reporter called it the "unique artistic film". Alissa Simon of Variety praised the film emphasizing that it calls attention to "the plight of children born of rape during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina", but described it as a "well-meaning but overdone melodrama".[45]

Fedeora penned a glowing review and wrote that "the film succeeds in being both a touching personal story but also a trenchant comment on the Bosnian war".[46] On AllMovie, it has a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars.

At the 2011 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, film critic Demi Mellett said: "The director does a great job at keeping the audience enthralled in what is going on throughout the whole film. The whole movie had a overtone of gray which showed how Alen was not happy because he couldn’t figure out where his mother was. The colors, gray shade of the film, and editing all brought it together, making the film work perfectly. All in all, I really enjoyed this film and would suggest it to anyone. The angles and music choice used in The Abandoned stood out to me. The story line was intriguing and the acting was done very well".[47]

The film's world premiere was at the 45th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it received a 15-minute standing ovation.

International festival circuit

The Abandoned was screened at over 80 international film festivals around the world, including the Pula Film Festival, Amiens International Film Festival, SEE a Paris Film Festival, Haifa International Film Festival, Festróia - Tróia International Film Festival, Alexandria International Film Festival, Hollywood Film Festival, Transilvania International Film Festival, Ljubljana International Film Festival, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival, and many other.[48][49][50][51]

It was screened at festivals in the Czech Republic, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Israel, Croatia, Egypt, France, Serbia and the United States.[52]

See also

References
  1. "The Abandoned (Bare Skin) (Ostavljeni)". cineuropa.org. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  2. "SFF: 14 polufinalista Cinelinka". klix.ba. 26 May 2003. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  3. "SFF: Glavni žiri CineLinka izabrao 6 projekata". klix.ba. 24 June 2003. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  4. "SFF: Skript doktori započeli rad sa finalistima CineLinka". klix.ba. 2 July 2003. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  5. "Završen CineLinkov program usavršavanja scenarija". klix.ba. 9 July 2003. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  6. "Prvi bh. nacionalni filmski festival". klix.ba. 2 June 2003. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  7. "Ostavljeni – TV film". tvprofil.net. TVprofil. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  8. "Croatia includes minority co-productions in Pula national competition". screendaily.com. 25 June 2010. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  9. "Twelve world premieres among competition titles at Karlovy Vary". screendaily.com. 22 June 2010. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  10. "KVIFF PROGRAMME". kviff.com. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  11. "Svjetska premijera filma "Ostavljeni" Adisa Bakrača". klix.ba. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  12. "Bosanski film s Mirom Furlan u Karlovyim Varyma". tportal.hr. 5 July 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  13. "The Abandoned (Ostavljeni)". independent.com. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  14. "2011 film and award history". sbiff.org. 2 February 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  15. ""Ostavljeni" Adisa Bakrača na festivalu u Santa Barbari". klix.ba. 7 January 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  16. ""Ostavljeni" nagrađeni bučnim aplauzom". klix.ba. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  17. Holdsworth, Nick (26 July 2010). "'Between Us' is lauded in Croatia". Variety. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  18. "57th Pula Film Festival — Croatia". Pula Filmf Festival. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  19. "Mladi Sarajlija Tony Grga - dobitnik Zlatne Arene (INTERVJU)". Radio Sarajevo. 24 July 2010. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  20. "Hollywood movie money: The Abandoned (Ostavljeni)". hollywoodmoviemoney.com. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  21. "Bh. filmovi: Najkvalitetniji domaći proizvod u svijetu". radiosarajevo.ba. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  22. "The Abandoned". filmneweurope.com. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  23. "Dobitnik Zlatko Topčić za dramu "Gola koža"". infobiro.ba. 18 November 2006. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  24. "FNE at KVIFF 2010 East of the West: The Abandoned". filmneweurope.com. 5 July 2010. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  25. "Film o dječaku kojeg je majka ostavila u Domu za siročad". klix.ba. 6 December 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  26. "Premijerno prikazan film 'Ostavljeni' Adisa Bakrača". depo.ba. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  27. "Vlado Podany: Rokenrol je moja davnašnja ljubav, s takvom curom se ne raskida". lolamagazin.com. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  28. "Adis Bakrač nagrađen za film "Ostavljeni"". klix.ba. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  29. "Bakraču i filmu "Ostavljeni" nagrada u Portugalu". klix.ba. 16 June 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  30. "Mladi Sarajlija Tony Grga - dobitnik Zlatne Arene (INTERVJU)". Radio Sarajevo. 24 July 2010. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  31. "Ostavljeni (OSTAVLJENI) – Film". mojtv.hr. MojTV. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  32. "Filmu "Ostavljeni" specijalna nagrada za hrabrost". klix.ba. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  33. "Zlatko Topčić: Najgora neizvjesnost je čekanje da se ostvare nečije prijetnje". tacno.net. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  34. ""Ostavljeni" Adisa Bakrača na festivalu u Santa Barbari". klix.ba. 7 January 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  35. "The Abandoned (Ostavljeni)". stlbosnians.com. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  36. "Film "Ostavljeni" predstavlja BiH na Ex YU Festu". klix.ba. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  37. "Film "Ostavljeni" received an award". sarajevotimes.com. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  38. "Film 'Ostavljeni' Adisa Bakrača na Filmskom Festivalu u Portugalu". depo.ba. 8 June 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  39. "Twelve world premieres among competition titles at Karlovy Vary". screendaily.com. 22 June 2010. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  40. "SFF: Glavni žiri CineLinka izabrao 6 projekata". klix.ba. 24 June 2003. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  41. "Film 'Ostavljeni' Adisa Bakrača na Filmskom Festivalu u Portugalu". depo.ba. 8 June 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  42. "Film 'Ostavljeni' Adisa Bakrača na Filmskom Festivalu u Portugalu". depo.ba. 8 June 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  43. "Filmovi "Ostavljeni" i "Cirkus Columbija" u Aleksandriji". klix.ba. 19 September 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  44. "Golden Carpathian festival and market". screendaily.com. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  45. "Review: "The Abandoned"". variety.com. 15 July 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  46. "Fedeoras first awards". fedeora.eu. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  47. "Review: "The Abandoned"". repflicks.net. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  48. "The Abandoned (Ostavljeni)". stlbosnians.com. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  49. "Film 'Ostavljeni' Adisa Bakrača na Filmskom Festivalu u Portugalu". depo.ba. 8 June 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  50. "Filmovi "Ostavljeni" i "Cirkus Columbija" u Aleksandriji". klix.ba. 19 September 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  51. "Program 2011". SEE A PARIS. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  52. "Filmovi "Ostavljeni" i "Cirkus Columbija" u Aleksandriji". klix.ba. 19 September 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
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