The Children of Srebrenica

Our documentary, Village of the Forgotten Widows, is now in post production. During production we met with and interviewed many victims of war and genocide. It was heartbreaking, hearing their stories, but we were prepared for them. After months of research we were prepared to hear their devastating memories, their disturbing recollections.

What we were not expecting to see however, was just how strong of an affect the war is still having on people here, especially the youth. Many of them were children during that terrible time. Most of whom lost grandparents, parents, and siblings. It’s been more than fifteen years now, since the war has been over, yet little has changed. This second generation is still being impacted by something that should only be a horrible memory. They go to school only to finish and realize they can’t get work. They settle in to ‘homes’ only to be told they must move again. They wait for help, but none comes. The majority of them are starting, or planning to have children of their own, which would mean a third generation will now be disadvantaged by something they should just be learning about in school.

So while shooting one documentary, we quickly realized a second one needs to be made on the youth of Bosnia. Hopefully this will give them a voice and bring some attention to their issues, issues that shouldn’t even be theirs. The world turned a blind eye in 1995, when their families were being murdered in front of their eyes. Today however, someone needs to step up for them, give them the compassion and aid they should have received a long time ago.

While shooting, Village of the Forgotten WIdows, we met with several young people. One boy, 15, was forced alongside his parents, to leave his home and move back to Srebrenica in the mountains. Due to the fact that this new ‘home’ was literally in the middle of nowhere, he was obligated to quit school and leave his friends. Two weeks after they moved in, his father passed away in their home due to lack of medication and medical aid.  Another young man we met was only 11 years old when he left Srebrenica. Our director, Alexander Herget, asked how he'd avoided being taken with the other men and boys. He explained that Serbs had tied a rope between two tanks, and the boys who were too tall to pass underneath the rope were taken and killed. "I was lucky to be short" he told us. Today, he struggles like everyone else to find steady work. Then there’s Yusuf, who’s only two years old and shares a one bedroom apartment with seven other people.

These are just some examples of the limitations the youth here face every day. We’re aiming to have our next documentary, Children of Srebrenica, follow five young Bosnians as they go about their lives in current day Bosnia.

For more information contact us at
info@silverbulletfilms.com