As If I Am Not There (2010)

hyped garbage

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

As If I Am Not There is an extremely powerful film which accurately portrays life in a camp during a period of conflict. The film also confronts the narrative that all victims must be the "perfect victim" in order to receive sympathy. Set in the Bosnian countryside during the Bosnian War, the film does not shield the viewer from any of the horrors of the war. Several sequences within the film such as the scene depicting the routine killing of men of fighting age are incredibly difficult to watch. When the women are held at the camp, they are subject to numerous humiliation tactics, and several are sexually exploited. While the scenes are difficult to watch, they are representative of what a normal woman's experience within a camp would be like. The gravity of the scenes is aided by the lack of dialogue and the impressive performance by Natasa Petrovic, the lead actress. The lack of dialogue adds a certain gravity to the experiences of the women as there is very little that can be said about their experience; it can only be expressed through action. Petrovic performance demonstrates the impact conflicts have upon civilians, in particular victims of rape. She is able to convey feeling of both vulnerability and intense fear through her expressive body language and facial expressions. During her period of internment, Petrovic's character Samira has to make difficult decisions about what actions she must take in order to survive. Samira engages in survival sex with the captain who runs her internment camp which is a decision heavily scrutinized by her fellow captives. This part of the film demonstrates that in order to survive in internment camp one usually has to engage in some morally questionable practices. Many Hollywood films which attempt to portray life within camps often portray the victim as both helpless and blameless. As If I Am Not There allows for the viewer to have a greater understanding of the moral dilemmas that emerge within the camp setting. Lastly, the film ends on an extremely powerful and profound note. While most films about surviving atrocities end on uplifting sentiments that supposedly speak to the strength of the human spirit, As If I Am Not There displays how one is permanently impacted by a camp experience. Samira has escaped Bosnia, but the war remains ever present in her life and directly impacts all of her experiences. The ending shows that intense trauma never really fades and leaves the viewer emotionally unsettled.

This is certainly a harrowing film to watch, but an incredibly important one as well. The depiction of Samira's life in the detention camp during the Bosnian War is emotional and raw. The film gives an accurate illustration of Bosnia in the early 1990's, and the actors and actresses in the film show a true representation of the lives of people in these detention camps. The relationships in this film are incredibly complex as well. Samira is notably involved with the captain of the Serbian forces that are holding these women in detainment. After being raped by Serbian men she is doing the best she can to survive in this situation. This form of "survival sex" is a representative aspect of camp life. Though excruciatingly difficult to watch, Samira's role in the film brings into question a larger discussion about morality and strength. Through the figure of the captain the viewer is able to discern that pain is not just physical, there is a wide spectrum of hardship that these women faced in the camp. Psychological pain was just as real, if not more so. Despite the fact that Samira is choosing to form a sexual relationship with the captain, there is no consent here. Some of the women disagree with her decision, finding it to be morally questionable. But this brings one to wonder, where is the role of morality in the camp setting? If the victims don't even have it, who does? It seems paradoxical that morality itself can even exist in such a setting. Despite these harder questions, there is certainly an omnipotent display of strength of Samira's part. In many ways she will never leave the camp. This experience will remain with her for the rest of her life. The film gives a viewer a glimpse of that as we watch Samira try to assimilate once more back into "real life." A task she may never fully surmount, as she must now take care of her child who she conceived with the captain. Will her strength be derived from taking care of this child who will forevermore remind her of her horrific experience? Or must it come from her resilience once more? The film wonderfully depicts the complexity of the human emotions and experiences both inside and outside of the camp. A difficult task to undertake, especially if it is to be done right. Overall the film does a great job of playing with these complex but critical issues.

Juanita Wilson depicts female experiences during the Bosnian War in her film As If I'm Not There. The main character, Samira, is a composite of women's ordeals in camps during the war. The film includes graphic depictions of rape, violence, and survival. Wilson made the choice to have minimal dialogue, which forces the audience to focus on dramatized light and sound. These sensory details in addition to Samira's sober facial expressions set the tone for each scene. Many of Samira's experiences reflect the experience of camp survivors. For instance, Samira's yearning for her pre-war life is depicted by her characterizing home as she soothes the dying schoolgirl who has been gang raped and brutalized for the last time to bed. Samira also asks the captain towards the end of the film if she gets to go home, as if her once home still exists. Another example is Samira's struggle to retain her identity. She claims she puts on makeup and dresses herself well because it's who she is. She also identifies as a teacher from Sarajevo to the Captain. The film also depicts camp life with a fair amount of accuracy. The temporary nature of camp circumstances leads to gossip and rumors. The interruption of childhood innocence is depicted by a schoolgirl being distracted by a butterfly. The schoolgirl claims it's not dangerous to her mother. The fragmentation of guards is portrayed through the captain who is manipulating and raping Samira, yet has an eight-year-old son. The inescapable nature of camp experience is symbolized by Samira accepting the child, who is the result of repeated rapes during her time in the camp.

This movie doesn't hold back from showing in graphic detail the events that occurred in the former Yugoslavia in the detention camps for Muslim women and children.We see the story from the perspective of Samira. She is from Sarajevo but recently started work as a teacher in a rural village. Soon the war following the break up of Yugoslavia intrudes on the village and all the residents are gathered up by local Serb militia.There is a great scene as the villagers are gathered in a hall and we see close ups of anxious faces of men and women, guessing at what will happen to the men. Our guesses are proved correct after they are taken into the woods.The women are brought to a camp. Again our minds speculate what might happen to them and we are again proved right. Samira is brought to a special house for "chosen" women. We see what men are capable of in a war situation when they feel they can do anything without fear of punishment. Some scenes are extremely disturbing.Natasha Petrovic as Samira expresses perfectly, mostly with her eyes, the fear the women are feeling. For the most part this is the women's only way of expression. What use is there in talking when someone else can decide on a whim whether you live or die? Samira and all the women do what they feel they have to survive but even when freedom comes their experiences leave legacies that last the rest of their lives.The film is based on a novel containing womens stories that emerged from the International War Crimes tribunal trials of suspects from the Yugoslavian wars in the 90's.A hard film to watch but I'm glad it was made as it reminds us of the reality of what happens to innocents in war.