Mila Turajlic’s documentary is at once a potted history of modern Serbia and a sensitive but deeply honest portrait of the filmmaker’s mother. It also goes to show what can be achieved with little more than a camera and a good story. The hook around which the narrative is constructed is that there is a door in the apartment where Turajlic’s family have lived for generations, in central Belgrade, which has remained shut for sixty years. When Yugoslavia was still Yugoslavia, when the war had just ended, and the communists were redistributing living space, two rooms from their apartment were annexed. A family moved in next door. The two sides of the door never met. However this is just the hook, upon which is framed the portrayal of the mother, a fearless mathematician who campaigned vociferously against Milosevic, and is now, as Serbia veers back towards right-wing politician extremism, accused of being a traitor for her part in Milosevic’s downfall. The film shows her relating her past and details her ongoing struggle today. whilst gently probing the mother-daughter relationship, as Turajlic tries to live up to her mother’s example. This film is, of course, her way of pursuing and honouring her mother’s struggle.
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