Aida Begić

Aida Begić (b. 1976 in Sarajevo/BA) graduated in film and theater directing from the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo in 2000. In her poetic cinematic works, subtle personal stories of the main protagonists, mainly women and children, tell of the aftermath of the war, of trauma, and of the situations of refugees. Aida Begić is an assistant professor in directing at the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo. She has made a number of commercials, videos and promotional films. In 2004, she and Elma Tataragic founded the production company MAMAFILM. She lives and works in Sarajevo.

Begić’s graduation film The First Death Experience (26 min, 2001) has been screened at more than twenty international film festivals. This film participated in 2001 in the Official Cinefondation Selection at the 54th Cannes Film Festival/FR, and subsequently received five awards at further festivals: Special Jury Mention, 9th Arcipelago – International Festival of Short Films and New Images, 2001, Rome/IT; Best Short Film, 6th Ourense Film Festival 2002, Ourense/ES; Critics’ Award, 30th Huesca Film Festival, 2002, Huesca/ES; Methexis Award, MedFilm Festival, 2002, Rome/IT. Filmography: Never Leave Me (2017); Bridges of Sarajevo (2014); Children of Sarajevo (Djeca, 2012); Do Not Forget Me Istanbul (2011); Snow (Snijeg, 2008); Sjever je poludio (2003); Prvo smrtno iskustvo (2001); Triumpf volje, (1997); Autobiografija (1995).