Germany, Croatia

Synopsis

As a present for her 6th birthday, Selma gets a live chicken. When she realises the animal is going to be killed to feed the family, she decides to save it and set it free, unaware of the high stakes such action will lead to. While trying to bring back the missing chicken, Selma's mum becomes the target of a sniper shoot. Sarajevo, 1993.

Director's Statement

THE CHICKEN is a very personal story for me. I have spent my childhood in war and that experience has not only marked my memories but has shaped my personality for the rest of my life. It took me many years to come to terms with the fact that, even though I and my family survived, the war has however killed something in each one of us. For me, it was my childhood that was killed, I became an adult when the first bombs fell, when I was forced to face the high stakes every new day brought. Childish games became dangerous and deadly, consequences of our even most benign and innocent actions became extremely cruel. You wake up as a child and you go to bed as an adult.


Distribution: Salaud Morisset
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Cast & Crew

Directed by: Una Gunjak

Written by: Una Gunjak

Produced by: Jelena Goldbach, Siniša Juricic

Cinematography: Matthias Pilz

Editing: Anja Siemens

Production Design: Ivana Škrabalo

Original Score: Bernd Schurer

Sound: Raoul Brand, Sebastian Morsch

Cast: Iman Alibalic, Esma Alic, Mirela Lambic, Mario Knezovic

Nominations and Awards

  • European Short Film 2014