Educational Media Reviews Online

Part of the Life Series 5 made for BBC, this short film examines the current state of the process of uncovering the truth and bringing the perpetrators to justice for the worst massacre in Europe since World War II. In 1995, Serbian troops took control of Srebrenica, a mainly Muslim town in northeast Bosnia designated as a UN-protected “safe zone.” Approximately 8000 Bosnian Muslims, or Bosniaks, were systematically killed by Serbian troops and paramilitary forces and dumped into mass graves, which were then dug up and dispersed throughout the country in an attempt to hide the evidence of the atrocities committed.

This film documents the determined efforts of forensic scientists to identify the remains from the smaller, scattered mass graves and bring closure to the survivors. There is grisly footage of workers extracting bones from mass grave sites, and also some powerful images from video taken by Serbian troops during the massacre. Also addressed is the larger political process at work with the prospect of the Balkan States joining the European Union.

The film does not provide much background information, likely limited by its length, but otherwise it is superbly narrated and edited. This film is highly recommended for library collections supporting programs in international relations, European studies, human rights, and genocide.