On 11 July 2025, it will be thirty years since the genocide of Srebrenica. In July 1995, over 8,000 Bosniak people – primarily boys and men – were murdered in and around the UN-declared safe zone. Recognised as genocide by the International Court of Justice, Srebrenica represents not only one of the darkest chapters in Europe’s violent past but also stands as a stark example of the failure of multilateral responsibility and the international community’s collapse in the face of atrocity. This year, for the first time, the painful event is being commemorated with a global day of remembrance.
In this context, we would like to recommend the documentary The Srebrenica Tape – Messages of Love from the War by Chiara Sambuchi. Between 1993 and 1995, under siege conditions, Sejfo filmed everyday life for his young daughter Alisa. Thirty years later, she returns to the place where the footage was made – and to the place where her father was killed.
The Srebrenica Tape is a father’s love letter to his daughter during wartime. It is a film about unconditional love, a call for “never again”, and a reminder not to forget crimes against humanity.
The film is currently available on the ARD Mediathek.
Das Srebrenica Tape – Liebesbotschaften aus dem Krieg
The documentary may also be seen as a response to the now-canonical feature film Quo Vadis, Aida? by Jasmila Žbanić, released in 2020, which also focuses on the Srebrenica genocide and has received numerous awards.
