BAJRAM [Main Title]

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  • Title: BAJRAM [Main Title]
  • Film Number: UNT 621
  • Other titles: UNITED NATIONS TELEVISION (UNTV) ZAGREB COLLECTION, YUGOSLAVIA [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Two Sarajevo youths discuss what the celebration of Bajram means to them in the war-torn Bosnian capital.
  • Description: Sarajevo, 3rd March 1995. The morning call to prayer on the day of Bajram. Nihad introduces his brother Sead and explains that it is Bajram today. Nihad explains that they have been at prayer. This is the third Bajram celebrated since the war began and the atmosphere in town is much livelier on this occasion. Sead prepares coffee for the first time since the end of Ramadan. Nihad and Sead kneel before a grave in the cemetery on one of the hills overlooking the city. Panning shots showing the number of white grave stones on the hillside. Nihad explains that it is traditional to visit the graves of their closest family on this day. They visited the grave of their grandfather last year and the year before in the midst of gunfire from the surrounding hills. They say that they were not the only family who braved the exposed hillside, many other families also came. Sead says that this was not so much a sign of bravery but of ‘faith and respect for our closest relatives who are now dead’. Sead says that this war is not easily classified as a religious war because people of all faiths, even the Orthodox faith, are equally defending Sarajevo. He says that it makes more sense to connect the war to the communist history of this land. That evening, the two boys watch television. The news report shows UNPROFOR soldiers attending to people who have been wounded by sniper fire on the streets of central Sarajevo. The two boys are smoking cigarettes around a small table. Nihad says that the news was worrying this evening and Sead says that the only religious connection is that the snipers fire from the Jewish cemetery, from a small Jewish temple. He says that the war is not about religion but about hatred coming from the other side, those that hate that they are different and enjoy those differences. Bajram lasts for three days and they describe seeing people staggering home drunk late at night. Sead says that he chose not to drink but he did attend a couple of parties. Footage of Sarajevo residents enjoying themselves at a party. Nihad says that the Islamic faith does not have a clerical institution and this allows each man to have his own approach to the faith. Back in the cemetery, one brother says that this view of mosques, churches and modern skyscrapers shows him that this city has a future. He says that if they devote themselves to the goodness that can be found in religion, there will be forgiveness. He says that when God sees that they are good maybe he will take off the burden of war from this city.
  • Alternative Title: UNITED NATIONS TELEVISION (UNTV) ZAGREB COLLECTION, YUGOSLAVIA [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: English (Tape Code A)
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: UNT 621
  • Sound: Bosnian (Tape Code B)
  • Access Conditions:
  • Featured Period: 1990-2000
  • Production Date: 1995-04
  • Production Country: UN
  • Production Details: MacCormick, Niall (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords: Bosnia-Herzegovina & Sarajevo (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: English (Tape Code A) Sound format: Bosnian (Tape Code B) Soundtrack language: Croatian (Tape Code C) Title language: Serbian (Tape D)
  • Technical Details: Format: Beta-SP Running time: 10 mins 45 secs
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    UNT 621

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    UNT 621 X (BAJRAM (UNEDITED RUSHES) [Allocated Title]) UNT 838 (UNTV PROGRAMME NO 152 [Main Title]) UNT 976 (BAJRAM HI-8 ROLLS 1 AND 2 (title on labels) [Allocated Title])
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