‘Close Up: Aida Begić - Screening 'A Ballad'’

Merjem-Meri, an unambitious, 30-year-old homemaker and mother to 8-year-old girl Mila, moves back to her parental home after 10 years of marriage. Meri realizes she is stuck in a circle of provincial rules and expectations. Her hope to get the custody of her daughter wanes from day to day because she has no chance of finding a permanent job. The only thing that makes her happy, but also makes everyone else look down on her, is participation in an audition for a film role in her neighbourhood.

Aida Begić (1976) is a Bosnian director and scriptwriter. She graduated in directing at the Sarajevo Academy of Performing Arts. Her graduation film First Death Experience was presented at The Cinefondation Official Selection of the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and won numerous awards at festivals worldwide. Her debut feature film Snow won the Critics' Week Grand Prix at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. She both wrote and directed the short film Album, which forms a segment of the Bridges of Sarajevo documentary. A Ballad is her last film.