Summer in the Golden Valley

in general Feature Film, BiH I FR I UK I AUT 2003
Genre Drama
length 104 Min
Original version serbo-croatian

A production of Refresh Production and Clubdeal LTD, in Co-production with Novotny & Novotny Filmproduktion and Studio Arkadena, as well as Slovenien und Michele de Broca Fildebroc s.a. 

With financial support of
Fondacija za kinematografiju FbiH, Ministarstvo kulture i sporta Kantona Sarajevo, Gradska uprava Grada Sarajeva, The Hubert Bals Fund of International Film Festival

Synopsis

Fikret Varupa would be a totally ordinary sixteen year old boy from Sarajevo had it not been for an incredible stroke of bad luck. At the traditional Muslim funeral service for his father, he learns that his father owes money to Harmid, a man he does not even know. The debt is considerable and Hamid does not want it to go to the grave with the body, so the debt automatically passes from the father to the son.
Since in Bosnia this way is collecting debts, at a funeral, is considered to be utterly humiliating, it is never, ever applied. Fikret and his entire family become subjects of ridicule.
Fikret, who is practically still a child, is decisive to “redeem this father’s soul”. Wishing to repay his father’s debt and to secure the forgiveness, Fikret wanders into the real world of Sarajevo, the world that is ruled by post-war chaos, misery and poverty and becomes an ideal target for two corrupted policemen who wish to “help” him: they plant the kidnapped girl on him…

AWARDS

• 
Vpro Tigar Award - Best Film (33rd Rotterdam international Film Festival 2004)
• Moviezone Award - Award presented by a young adults-jury - Best Film
• Special Jury Award & Fipresci Award (Sofia International Film Festival 2004)
• Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature (Bermuda International Film Festival 2004)
• The Iris Award for Best Film (Brussels Festival of European Film 2004)
• TV RTBF Award for Best Film (Brussels Festival of European Film 2004)
• SN Brussels Airlines Award for Best Acting (Brussels Festival of European Film 2004)