AN EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF AN IRON PICKER (EPIZODA U ZIVOTU BERACA ZELJEZA) World Cinema

Bolstered by the harrowing true-life events inflicted upon a Roma family in Bosnia, renowned filmmaker Danis Tanovic (NO MAN’S LAND) ingeniously obliterates the line between fact and fiction by casting the actual participants of dramatic events in the recreation of their own ordeal. Nazif struggles daily to provide for his family, picking iron from scraps and caring for his pregnant wife, Senada, and their two daughters. When Senada begins experiencing searing pain, they drive hours to the nearest hospital to discover that without a state-provided health insurance card, they cannot afford the life-saving treatment she needs. Thus begins a 10-day fight for survival in the face of increasing obstacles, apathy and indifference. Shot quickly and with a restrained vérité approach, Tanovic strips away filmmaking artifice to create an authentic atmosphere. A powerful journey and scathing commentary, this micro-budget experiment packs an emotional punch.