Shooting started on 1 November and finished on 15 December 2020. There were 23 shooting days and 16 days of break because of the COVID-19.
A Ballade follows 30-year-old unambitious Meri, a housewife and a mother of an 8-year-old girl Mila, whose 14 years older husband Hasan throws her out of their home in a fit of jealous rage. After returning to her parents’ home without her daughter, whom Hasan decided to keep, Meri realises she is trapped in a wicked circle of provincial laws and rules, and her family’s needs and ambitions. Trying to find herself, Meri auditions for a film that is to be shot in the neighbourhood.
Aida Begić commented for FNE on the whole process: “A Ballade is my first film about love, a film that has nothing to do with war, social problems or similar themes. It doesn’t pretend to highlight any important questions on the society. We are making it during the pandemic. We had to stop shooting at one point as the main actress Marija Pikić, the DoP Erol Zubčević and myself got COVID.”
“We haven’t concluded the financing yet. Despite all that, the film is full of life and happiness. It is as if we shot it in the 80s. For me, cinema is a way to overcome reality, to understand, look at everything with a second set of eyes. In this case, A Ballade is like psychotherapy for me and for the whole crew. I believe our happiness will reflect in the happiness of the audience once they get to see it”, Aida Begić also told FNE.
Adis Đapo, Aida Begić and Erol Zubčević are producing through Film House in coproduction with their regular French coproducer Francois d’Artemare of Les Films de l'Après Midi. The final budget should be between 400,000 and 500,000 EUR, and the producers are considering having one more coproducer from the region.
The film is expected to premiere in 2022. There is no sales agent attached at this point.
Aida Begić won the Semaine de la Critique Grand Prix for her debut feature film Snow (Mamafilm, 2008) and the Un Certain Regard Special Distinction Award for her sophomore feature Children of Sarajevo (Film House, 2012).
Production Information:
Producer:
Film House (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
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Coproducer:
Les Films de l'Après Midi (France)
Credits:
Director: Aida Begić
Scriptwriter: Aida Begić
DoP: Erol Zubčević
Editor: Redžinald Šimek
Production designer: Emina Kujundžić
Costume designer: Sanja Džeba
Casting director: Timka Grin
Cast: Marija Pikić, Jasna Žalica, Lana Stanišić, Slaven Vidak, Enes Kozličić, Milan Tocinoviski
