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As If I Am Not There

Release Date 04 Mar 2011 21 Aug 2011

  • User rating
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
  • Critic rating
  • Currently 2/5 Stars.

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Certificate: 16

Genre: Drama

Based on the novel of the same name by acclaimed Croatian journalist Slavenka Drakulic, it follows the story of a young woman from Sarajevo as she struggles to survive the Bosnian war.

Cast:
Stellan Skarsgård | Miraj Grbic | Zvezda Angelovska | Jasna Diklic | Nikolina Kujaca | Irina Apelgren | Sanja Buric | Natasa Petrovic | Fedja Stukan

Writers:

Producers:

Directors:
Juanita Wilson

  • Critic rating
  • Currently 2/5 Stars.

Movies.ie Critic Review

Set during the Bosnian war of the 1990s, and based on a true story, Samira (Petrovic) is a schoolteacher who leaves Sarajevo in order to take up a summer post in a small, remote mountainside village. Within days though, Samira and the rest of the village’s women are taken away by Serbian soldiers; the men are shot. Samira soon finds herself in the joy division of the soldiers’ camp…

THE VERDICT: It’s a hard-hitting story, and one that should be told. Only trouble is, Juanita Wilson doesn’t seem quite capable of doing Slavenka Drakulic’s book justice, As If I’m Not There playing like a dull TV movie. The fact that it won two major awards at the recent IFTA reflects more on that organization (short for, of course, “Ifta person is in the country…”) than it does on this so-so drama.

Review by Paul Byrne 

  • Avg User rating
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.

User Reviews

    • Currently 3/5 Stars.

    mart

    An unforgettable central performance, but could be more dramatically engaging.

    • Currently 5/5 Stars.

    Jennyburke102

    This is a fantastic movie ...It is very upsetting though and contains a brutal rape scene!!! It really went under the radar which is sad because it really shows the horror of war ...especially for women and how they have to cope in the most inhuman and brutal conditions possible!! An outstanding movie!!!

    • Currently 3/5 Stars.

    thompsss

    It was a gripping story and well filmed. Not for the light hearted and not something for someone who is looking for easy viewing.