Zeroing in on one family or person, fictional or not and even in the hell of a genocidal background, has always been the easiest method to get an audience to connect with a real life historical calamity on a deeper level, but one thing is for sure: usually it at least works like it does in Jasmila’s Žbanić’s Quo vadis, Aida? Witness 90 harrowing minutes of attempt after attempt to avoid the inevitable through innocent hope and admirable persistence as a mother begs at the toes of the UN, an organization that in this event continuously make clear of their submissive, cowardly indulgence in the lies of Bosnia’s enemy. It is absolutely heart-wrenching to watch people whose job it is to work on peace seem so collected about sending people to their death — the entire tragic crux of what happened that day —, yet maybe that privilege of knowing you’ll live blocks you from being able to relate or help with those who must succumb from it. The human dilemma really is that saving often becomes difficult if it’s not coming from a motive to save yourself as well.
If you’re not informed of the Srebrenica massacre by now, then this is a must watch just to learn about it at the helm of a demanding parent / lover perspective from the recreated disaster.
Verdict: B
“Quo vadis, Aida?” is now available to stream on Hulu.
Burning the Celluloid 
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