holiday inn

Is there a better feeling – for a film producer – than a smooth sliding shooting period when in production? Hardly, especially when that shooting is a first time international collaboartion with a crew you barely know. Well, filming the first part of our upcoming documentary (Inn) a State of Siege, directed by Qali Nur, seemed like a game between friends. 

From April 4 – 12 we were in Sarajevo where we filmed the interviews with our three protagonists in the famed Sarajevan hotel Holiday Inn, known as the home of international journalists during the Bosnian war from 1992-1995. Much has been said, written and filmed about these journalists, but much less about the people who kept the hotel running during these awful times. (Inn) a State of Siege shines a light on the stories of three employees of the hotel: Mustafa, Ismet and Faruk – and on the next generation. What was life like in a besieged city knowing each moment could be your last? And how has the experience of the fathers impacted their sons?

Rarely avoidable last minute issues asside, the filming went according to plan. Next to the three  interviews we filmed the city awakening in a beautiful spring palette on Eid, the muslim feast that marks the end of Ramadan. Sarajevo Old Town looked so romantic that morning, which was captured so well on the drone shots. 

And of course, we would be nowhere without our wonderful local crew Admir Švrakić (DOP), Adnel Pašić (camera operator), Samir Hrković (sound recordist) and Jasmin Spahić (drone operator).

In the next four weeks we will be preparing for the second part of shooting in Sarajevo, which will take place from May 11-26. Looking forward to it!

Author & photograph: Dženita Čamo