“A simple documentary with bold ideas and a deep sense of curiosity.”

One of the most revealing moments in someone’s life is when they begin to understand their origins. For some, this is made clear early in life, through the customs and traditions with which they are raised. For others, the process occurs later, especially in cases where their family history is not as straightforward as one would expect. This is where Tarik Hodžić draws inspiration for Bosnian Knight, a documentary in which we follow Sead Delić, a man who is actively trying to reconnect with his roots both in terms of his familial history and the broader culture of his native Bosnia and Herzegovina. The region is quickly established as being not only one of the most stunningly beautiful parts of Europe (and anyone who has been there will know this is objectively true), but also multicultural with firm roots in the past, stretching back to the medieval period. He undergoes a journey, visiting many parts of the country, each one carrying with it a deeper meaning that, when pieced together, creates a vibrant tapestry that reveals secrets and insights into the past that are often overlooked. A simple documentary with bold ideas and a deep sense of curiosity, Bosnian Knight is a strong testimony to a country and its people, handcrafted by a director whose fascination with the past is matched by his willingness to unravel the layers which are rarely given their due.

Bosnian Knight is not the first film about the country’s history that the director has made; his previous films like Secret of the Bosnian Pyramid and Scream for Me Sarajevo were similar explorations of the past and various cultural nuances. However, this film endeavors to be more expansive, not restricting itself to events that took place in the last few decades of the 20^th century (which is what usually comes to mind when we think about the country), but rather casting a much wider net into the history of the region, as seen through the eyes of its people. As implied by the title, the film voyages through the centuries, with its primary narrative motif being Delić’s efforts to take on the role of a knight, honoring the ancestors who fought to defend their country during an era when valor and bravery were more visually evident. The filmmakers travel to different regions, filming in locations such as castles and villages that have remained untouched by modernity, giving us a glimpse into a bygone era. In the process, Delić begins to ponder his own existence, asking challenging questions regarding his identity and the role he plays in not only honouring those who came before him, but actively keeping their legacy alive.

Any work that indicates its intention to explore the entire history of a country and its people should be respected, solely for the gumption in trying to condense hundreds of years of culture into a single film. Hodžić approaches Bosnian Knight from a few directions, combining different formal elements to create a holistic depiction of the country. There are moments in which the director and his star attempt to recreate life during the different periods that they discuss, which gives Delić the chance to play the roles of his many ancestors, walking in their shoes in an effort to gain a more thorough understanding of their lives. These are complemented by interviews with a range of experts from across the world, each one bringing their own insights into the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its people, covering a range of topics that create quite an ambitious account of the country’s origins over the centuries. Perhaps it is slightly too ambitious to attempt to reduce such a subject to a single 100-minute film, but Hodžić and Delić certainly are willing to put in the effort, which is admirable. Even if taken only as an audacious experiment in which the filmmakers are intent on exploring their own individual pasts through a sweeping non-fiction epic, Bosnian Knight does leave quite an impression.

Perhaps it is slightly pedestrian in terms of form and can occasionally struggle to clarify its overall intentions, but Bosnian Knight is nonetheless a captivating documentary that explores the nature of memory and the challenges that come when revisiting a past in which you were not directly involved, yet still carry the legacy of the ancestors that laid the foundation for the culture that is appreciated today. The heritage of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina is appropriately honored with this film, which may tend towards covering very familiar themes throughout, but has enough dedication to the material to never resort to the same trite cliches that we would expect to find from such a work. Whether we look at it as a celebration of the culture or merely a sprawling historical account, Bosnian Knight is an effective examination of the past in its various forms, told through the perspective of a pair of artists – one behind the camera, one in front of it – as they attempt the near-impossible task of covering nearly a millennium of history, using their inherent curiosity as the conceptual and emotional anchor that allows Bosnian Knight to be a wonderful celebration of the past, as seen through both the defining events and the people whose legacy remains embedded in the country’s history to this day.