After the documentary film “Dom” received the prestigious recognition “Final Five” at the ceremony of Italy’s oldest film award, the Silver Ribbon (Nastri d’Argento), held on March 2 in Rome, Italian media began writing about this Italian–Bosnian and Herzegovinian co-production.
The debut feature-length documentary by young director Massimiliano Battistella, “Dom” follows the intimate story of Mirela, a Bosnian woman who, as a ten-year-old girl in 1992, was evacuated to Italy from the besieged Sarajevo together with other children from the Bjelave Children’s Home.
Now an adult living in Italy with her family, Mirela returns to Sarajevo to confront her past, reconstruct childhood memories and open questions of abandonment, displacement and belonging. Through rare archival footage, personal materials and testimonies, the film intertwines personal and collective history, offering a powerful story about identity shaped by the experience of war.
Nastri d’Argento is the oldest film award in Italy. It was established in 1946 by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists. A nomination to the shortlist known as the “Final Five” (Cinquina Finalista) is considered one of the most important recognitions in the Italian film industry.
After reviewing 195 documentaries produced in 2025, the selection of “Dom” among the five best and the recognition awarded to the film’s team confirm that the work is considered one of the most notable documentary achievements of the year according to Italian film critics.
“This is the first time in the 80-year history of the award that a Bosnian and Herzegovinian co-production has been included in the ‘Final Five’. This recognition carries multiple layers of significance, especially in these difficult times for our film production. It confirms the importance of our participation in international co-productions that reach global audiences, as well as the importance of documentary film as a platform for broader social dialogue. It also shows that stories coming from Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to have a strong artistic and social resonance within the European film space,” said co-producer Ivana Cvetković Bajrović, who attended the Cinquina Finalistaaward ceremony in Rome.
Recent film reviews confirm this recognition. Framed Magazine, considered an influential voice in Italian film, theatre and music criticism, gave “Dom” a very high rating. Praising the film’s raw emotion and elegant visuals, the review highlights the protagonist’s journey toward healing through the seamless integration of archival materials.
The critique also points to the exceptional level of trust between the subject and the camera. Mirela appears in all her vulnerability, unafraid to reveal the raw honesty of her emotions. Sarajevo is not portrayed as a simple postcard image, but through the intimate perspective of a woman returning to the city after thirty years of absence.
The online magazine Sentieri Selvaggi, a pillar of Italian film journalism since 1998, offers a complementary perspective, describing Dom as a story in which personal experience intertwines with history. The review emphasises the film’s emotional weight, noting that Mirela’s return becomes an act of reclaiming scattered pieces of her geographical and family map, from Sarajevo to Foča, where she was born, and to Goražde, where her mother lives and refuses to see her.
Rare archival footage of Sarajevo and the children evacuated to Italy serves as a backdrop for moments of lightness and song, while the emotional focus remains on unspoken pain, trauma so deep that even thirty years later it seems almost impossible to express in words.
The film’s critical recognition has also sparked significant regional interest. Newspapers such as Corriere delle Alpi and Il Piccolo have reported on screenings and the upcoming cinema tour, presenting the film as a cultural event that brings complex historical topics, such as the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, closer to Italian audiences. They also remind readers of the fate of children growing up in wartime and the relevance of the film’s themes for broader discussions about memory and identity.
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa highlights the relevance of Dom in the context of current global developments, presenting it not only as a film but also as part of a broader social debate about the consequences of armed conflicts and the growing limitations of international law.
Numerous local newspapers and online portals, including Napoli Today, Comune di Rimini, Chiamami Città, San Marino RTV, Portale Giovani Comune di Firenze, Emilia Romagna News 24, and many others, have joined the promotion of the upcoming cinema tour in 12 Italian cities, highlighting the significance of the film’s achievement through its nomination for the Silver Ribbon award.
Dom was first presented in a pre-premiere screening at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival, while its official premiere took place in the Giornate degli Autori programme at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. In addition to numerous festivals in Italy, the film was also screened at the German festival DOK Leipzig, where it was nominated for the MDR Film Prize.
The film was produced by Riccardo Biadene for Kama Productions in Rome, and co-produced by Ivana Cvetković Bajrović (Method) and Nihad Kreševljaković (MESS) from Sarajevo.
The original music for the film was composed by Nedim Zlatar, while Muhamed Bajramović created the sound design. The graphic design was created by Ajna Zlatar, Klix.ba writes.
