Twice Born (2012)
"Venuto al mondo" (original title)

A single mother brings her teenage son to Sarajevo, where his father died in the Bosnian conflict years ago.

Director:

Sergio Castellitto

Writers:

Margaret Mazzantini (novel), Sergio Castellitto (screenplay),

Stars:

Penélope Cruz, Emile Hirsch, Adnan Haskovic

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Penélope Cruz	...	Gemma
Emile Hirsch	...	Diego
Adnan Haskovic	...	Gojco
Saadet Aksoy	...	Aska
Pietro Castellitto	...	Pietro
Mira Furlan	...	Velida
Jovan Divjak
Vinicio Marchioni	...	Gemma's husband
Branko Djuric	...	Doctor (as Branko Duric)
Jane Birkin	...	Psicologa
Luca De Filippo	...	Armando
Sergio Castellitto	...	Giuliano
Bruno Armando
Fausto Russo Alesi
Juan Carlos Vellido	...	Official Ministry

Storyline

A single mother brings her teenage son to Sarajevo, where his father died in the Bosnian conflict years ago.

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Plot Keywords:

written and directed by cast member | based on novel

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence including a rape scene, sexuality/nudity, language and some drug content

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

Italy Spain

Language:

Italian English Bosnian

Release Date:

8 November 2012 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Gime myleti

Filming Locations:

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Box Office

Budget:

€13,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Medusa Film, Alien Produzioni, Mod Producciones

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

User Reviews

Tough and painful, with a forceful soundtrack

I hadn't read the novel by Margaret Mazzantini, but was enough prepared for the toughness of the story, however, I was deeply shocked by the harshness of the drama. The movie is certainly well built, being the director the novelist's husband, he could probably render best the real substance of the story and the characters. Moving forward and backwards in time is not something new, but always a gripping technique, letting the viewer catch the progress of the story little by little. Indeed, there's no haste in a sometimes too slow movie, the second part far better than the first, with a very good historical reconstruction of a debased Sarajevo under siege, because of a war we Europeans have forgotten too quickly. I liked the performances offered by Penelope Cruz, very intense but well balanced, Emile Hirsch is really great and there's a good empathy between the two. There's also an international variety of incisive, unconventional musical choices, from Nirvana to Bruce Springsteen. Sometimes overenthusiastic, they undoubtedly prove very forceful and the scene of bombing on the notes of "Something in the way" leaves the mark. On the whole, a very dramatic movie, where the horror of war and of the human species certainly prevails, but with a sense of hope which I found soothing and in a way necessary.