directed by Metod Pevec, drama, 97 min, eng subtitles
written by Metod Pevec
with Silva Čušin, Marko Kovačevik, Senad Bašić, Mediha Musliović
After the sudden death of a violin virtuoso, his violin, named Estrelita, triggers a string of conflicts. Dora, the widow of the deceased violinist, who faithfully supported him for years and made many sacrifices for his artistic career, discovers that he had been cheating on her for years. She decides to donate the violin to a talented violin student Amir, who comes from a poor Bosnian family. The boy takes to the instrument almost instantly. But the valuable instrument also attracts Dora's son Julian and the battle for the violin begins.
"This film story develops within a classic triangle of love, sadness and music. Basically, there's something tragic in all great love stories, and beautiful sad songs describe them best, we all know that - but why do we find so much pleasure in this sadness? I was not interested in the pathetic and almost vulgar sadness, but in that rare, cultivated sadness, that inexplicable marvellous feeling that refines people and gives them a special glow." (director's statement)
Awards:
Cottbus FF 2007 (Dialog Award)
Festróia IFF 2008 (Audience Award)
Motovun FF 2008 (Amnesty International Award)