maxschonhausen Review of Sarajevo

Sarajevo (2014 TV Movie)

Fiction, not documentary, and Leo Pfeffer was not a Serb...

[8/10 · 11 September 2017]

A magical film, extremely well made. But presented very strangely here on IMDb. It is by no means a documentary, it is fictional drama in historical context. And it is not about a Serbian magistrate. The film focuses on the historical figure of Leo Pfeffer, Austrian magistrate in Sarajevo at the time of the murder. In the film, it is suggested that his appointment to lead the investigation was surprising and as he digs deeper into the intrigue he slowly realizes he was chosen precisely because he is young, unknown, Jewish and expendable. In reality of course he was the magistrate in charge and the appointment was quite unsurprising. Beyond portraying the actual events and historical people involved - which the film does extremely accurately - the film explores the fictional possibility that a corrupted Austrian élite bankrolling, organizing and facilitating the assassination. A truly exciting idea which is of course pure fiction. The evidence used in the film being the authentic Austrian determination to start a war with Serbia, this being explained by said corrupt élite having some not-really-explained financial motives making them desire war. And of course the inevitable German agent perpetually desiring world wars. In this effort however, the film portrays Dimitrijevic as innocent and framed - rather repulsive in light of the many acts of murder and terror he was responsible for IRL. Furthermore, other historical people, e.g. Potiorek, are portrayed as being part of the plot against the Archdukes life. Which is disturbing and unnecessary. Ficitional characters could have been used to the same end. All that said - I still loved the film. Precisely because it is kaleidoscoping facts in such an authentic environment. Had I thought it documentary, I would have probably not liked it much...