It is a love poem for Sarajevo, according to North Macedonian director Teona Strugar Mitevska (“God Exists, Her Name Is Petrunija”). Profound, sharp, and provocative romantic drama shockingly uncovers buried injuries and reflections from the brutal and unnecessary Balkan war, which never ends for its victims, aggressors, and collaborators. Many inhabitants of Sarajevo found true love during the harshest times between 1992 till 1996 when their beloved city was mercilessly besieged by armed Serbian soldiers. Nowadays in Sarajevo, every Saturday an energetic matchmaker Marta (director’s sister, producer Labina Mitevska) organises cheerful blind dates for lonely middle-aged citizens, who are still looking for love, flings or maybe something else.

Fortunate lawyer Asja is randomly paired with a shy banker Zoran. They heartily embrace quite strict, but fun and amusing rules of the dating game in a spacious hall of an 80’s hotel. Usual simple questions about favourite things very soon lead to a dangerously hurtful dance with the ghostly cupid from a recent painful past. Almost one year after the Venetian premiere, this poignant and rewarding film is still so striking and irresistible that nobody will be unaffected by the memorable encounter.

Edvinas Pukšta