Šero
This testimony has been provided to HMDT by Kemal Pervanić, a survivor of the Bosnian war, who has specially edited three short testimony films taken from his new film Pretty Village.
In the film Šero recounts being taken away to be tortured: ‘One day they decided they decided that we were in the way they would be better off without us’.
The film sees Kemal return to the village in which he used to live in the Prijedor area of Bosnia. The film highlights the intimate, intra-community nature of the violence and expulsions, survivors recount being persecuted by neighbours, school mates, even their own teachers. For some of the people who feature in the film this is the first time they have talked about the events together in depth – whilst they are willing to do so, there is still a lingering unwillingness to name names as many perpetrators are still at large and in positions of power. The film also explores issues relating to justice, reconciliation and forgiveness in post-genocide Bosnia.
The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust can send you a high resolution version of this film to show as part of an HMD activity.