Crvene gumene čizme

Crvene gumene čizme is about Jasna P.’s search for the remains of her two children Amar (aged four) and Ajla (aged nine months). They were abducted, killed and probably buried in a mass grave by the Serbian army during the Bosnian War. With the help of the State Commission for the Search for Missing Persons, Jasna examines the available information and accompanies the representatives on their way to the graves. She hopes to find the red rubber boots her son was wearing when he disappeared from her life. She wants conclusiveness about the fate of her children. By maintaining a respectful distance from the protagonists, Jasmila Žbanić leaves room to breathe and allows us to gain an insight into their infinitely sorrowful work. The search proceeds slowly and there are many hurdles that must be overcome. The ordeal becomes bearable through the beauty of the surroundings and the meaningfulness of the group’s task. The film makes the magnitude of the mourners’ bereavement tangible and reveals the efforts their search entails. (Berlinale)