Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea. —Henry Fielding

06 May 2021

Quo Vadis, Aida?

I loved Quo Vadis, Aida?. The central performance, by Jasna Đuričić is incredible, and the film itself is stunning, even merciless. But this story of the tragedy of the Srebrenica massacre isn't relentless at all. It leaves space for the viewer to breathe and process while also never minimizing the brutality of what happened. It's an excellent film.

The phrase, Quo Vadis?, incidentally, is a reference to Saint Peter, who deserts his people in Rome, but the Christ appears to him as he flees and he asks the Christ where are you going? The Christ replies Back to Rome, to be crucified again. Upon hearing this, Peter's courage returns to him and he goes back to Rome to be martyred. It's quite a literary reference to live up to. But this movie manages it. Quo Vadis, Aida? is really stunning, and it doesn't sell the suffering it portrays short. And the ending of the movie? It's chilling.

Quo Vadis, Aida? was nominated for Best International Film at the Academy Awards for 2020+, and it was released for distribution in the U.S. in 2021. You can watch Quo Vadis, Aida? on Amazon or anywhere else you buy video on demand.

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