Film Review

By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Storm
Directed by Hans-Christian Schmid
FilmMovement 10/09 Feature Film
Not Rated

General Duric, a Bosnian Serb, is arrested and charged with atrocities against Muslim civilians in a small town near Sarajevo during the 1990s war. It takes three years for the International Criminal Court in the Hague to gather evidence and put together a convincing case against him. Alen Hajdarevic (Kresimir Mikic), a devout Muslim, was an eyewitness to the acts of barbarity and will testify.

Meanwhile, Hannah Maynard (Kerry Fox), a veteran prosecutor, learns that Keith Haywood (Stephen Dillane), a colleague, has been given a promotion that she thought she deserved given her length of employment and impressive work. He hands this controversial and difficult case over to her. But in court, Duric's lawyers destroy Hajdarevic's credibility as a witness, and he later commits suicide.

Hannah, staring possible defeat in the face, heads off to Bosnia to broaden the investigation and find a different approach to the case. She is shocked by war profiteers in the country who have a secret they are hiding about what happened in a certain hotel during the war in the 1990s. Hannah meets Mira (Anamaria Marinca), the sister of the witness who committed suicide, and intuitively believes she knows more about the past than she reveals. This frazzled young woman now lives in Berlin with her family. When Serbian thugs find out that she is talking to Hannah, they threaten her family. This helps spur her to testify about her knowledge of General Duric's involvement in the rape and murder of many Bosnian women.

Hats off and a respectful bow to German director Hans-Christian Schmid for tackling in this political thriller a topic not covered in many other movies: the dynamics of a war crimes tribunal. The result is a sophisticated and edgy drama that shows one woman's zeal for justice and the flaws of institutions that have been set up to insure the punishment of individuals who have committed terrible crimes violating human rights.

Kerry Fox puts in a riveting performance as a capable prosecutor passed over just because she is a woman. She takes her anger and uses it as a fuel for doing the right thing. Anamaria Marinca of 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days is superb as the young woman who puts her life and the welfare of her family at risk to tell the truth about General Duric. Also featured is Rolf Lassgard as Hannah's lover who is a wheeler-dealer for the European Union. He plays a major role in the startling finale of the film.

Storm gives conscience a good name and proves that the world needs more women warriors to uphold the cause of justice.

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by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat