---
title: "Quo Vadis, Aida?"
year: 2021
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/quo-vadis-aida"
fi1m_id: "quo-vadis-aida"
imdb_id: "tt8633462"
tmdb_id: 728118
wikidata_id: "Q97765712"
fi1m_score: 92
critics_score: 86
critics_reviews: 12
published: "2026-10-03T01:39:21.518864+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-03T01:39:21.764939+00:00"
region: "JP"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Quo Vadis, Aida? (2021)

Directed by Jasmila Žbanić · 1h 44m · War, Drama, History

## Identity

Quo Vadis, Aida?

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/quo-vadis-aida
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** quo-vadis-aida
- **IMDb ID:** tt8633462
- **TMDB ID:** 728118
- **Wikidata ID:** Q97765712
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8633462/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/728118, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q97765712

**Fi1m score: 92** · Critics 86 from 12 reviews

*In a sentence:* We sat still for 104 minutes and felt we ought to be doing something

> Jasmila Žbanić’s Srebrenica drama is harrowing and worth the distress. Jasna Đuričić gives a mother’s efforts to save her family an urgency that the controlled filmmaking never exploits for easy excitement.

## Synopsis

In Srebrenica, Aïda Selmanagić (Jasna Đuričić) tries to protect her family as a military crisis threatens civilian lives. Nihad (Izudin Bajrović), Hamdija (Boris Ler) and Sejo (Dino Bajrović) are among the people around her. Colonel Karremans (Johan Heldenbergh) and General Ratko Mladić (Boris Isaković) hold military authority over events that civilians cannot control. Aïda needs safety for the people closest to her, but her choices depend on decisions taken by others. Her efforts bring her up against the failures of institutions on which her family’s survival depends.

## Review

*Quo Vadis, Aida?* is a war drama we would urge people to see, despite the distress it causes. Jasmila Žbanić keeps the Srebrenica massacre close to one woman, Aïda Selmanagić (Jasna Đuričić), and her efforts to save her family. That choice gives the film a clear purpose: we are asked to follow what she tries to do, and to understand why she keeps trying. It is a demanding 104 minutes, made bearable by the care taken with the people whose lives are threatened.

Đuričić gives Aïda a physical urgency that makes even the prospect of waiting feel intolerable. Her performance has the strain of someone who must keep thinking while frightened, with other people’s lives depending on her ability to do so. We were frightened for her, because the effort she puts into protecting her family is so visible and offers so little reassurance. Žbanić allows that effort to remain uncomfortable; there is no invitation to applaud Aïda for being a resourceful heroine and settle back into our seats.

Christine A. Maier’s cinematography stays restless, but the film remains easy to follow. That clarity matters, because the drama depends on understanding how much control Aïda has over what happens to her family. Jarosław Kamiński’s editing changes pace without letting the danger seem to have passed. The gentler passages have enough time for affection to be felt, so that danger never becomes the only thing we know about these people, or the only reason to care about them.

Hannes Salat’s production design and Antoni Łazarkiewicz’s music are harder to separate from the film’s effect. Neither feels like something offered for admiration on its own, which helps keep our attention on the people. Žbanić is particularly careful about how much excitement she permits the material to generate. The tension can be nearly unbearable, but there is little of the pleasure a thriller usually offers when it puts a capable person in danger and lets us anticipate an escape.

Our reservation is that such close attention to Aïda leaves some of the people around her less fully felt. Johan Heldenbergh’s Colonel Karremans and Boris Isaković’s General Ratko Mladić matter chiefly for the authority they exercise, and neither holds our attention in quite the same way. Žbanić makes the institutional failure clear, sometimes clearer than the individuals involved. This is a small limitation, but it means the film’s human detail is concentrated heavily in Đuričić’s performance, with less to discover elsewhere.

Against the conventions of the war film, Žbanić resists making courage reassuring. Aïda’s determination does not turn the wider catastrophe into a test of whether one person is brave or clever enough. The institutional failures matter precisely because individual effort cannot compensate for them. Affection for a family is allowed to be ordinary, while the demands being made on that family are appalling; Đuričić makes that fear recognisable without making it comfortable to watch. See it when you can give it your full attention, rather than squeeze it between other things.

*Fi1m score 92, published 3 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics find Quo Vadis, Aida? a harrowing, humane account of the Srebrenica massacre, with praise centred on Jasna Đuričić’s performance. The reviews repeatedly single out her portrayal of Aida for making the personal consequences of institutional failure painfully clear. Jasmila Žbanić’s direction draws similarly strong approval: critics praise the sustained tension, clear handling of unfolding chaos and restraint around violence. Several stress that the focus on Aida preserves tenderness and individual humanity amid the historical horror.

There is little documented disagreement over the film’s central strengths, and eleven of the twelve reviews are positive. Differences lie chiefly in emphasis, from the camerawork’s restless immediacy to the exposure of international apathy. Time Out supplies the lone mixed entry, but its accessible text gives no specific grounds for reservations. The available reviews therefore establish a broad favourable consensus without revealing a clear recurring criticism.

## Straight answers

**Is Quo Vadis, Aida? worth watching?**

*Quo Vadis, Aida?* is worth watching for its harrowing account of a mother trying to protect her family during the Srebrenica massacre, and we score it 92. Jasna Đuričić’s performance makes the fear painfully recognisable, though some supporting figures receive less attention. We recommend it for an evening when you can give a demanding war drama your full attention.

**How long is Quo Vadis, Aida?, and what is it rated?**

*Quo Vadis, Aida?* runs 1h 44m. It is a war and drama film.

**Where can I watch Quo Vadis, Aida? in Japan?**

*Quo Vadis, Aida?* is not on any streaming or rental service in Japan at the moment. It is available in 24 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Quo Vadis, Aida?, and is it suitable for children?**

*Quo Vadis, Aida?* has a UK 15 certificate and is not suitable for children under 15; its sustained fear for civilian lives also makes it demanding viewing for older teenagers and adults. We find the tension nearly unbearable because a mother’s efforts to protect her family offer so little reassurance. The distress warrants caution even without a detailed account of onscreen violence.

**How does Quo Vadis, Aida? compare to The Ascent?**

*Quo Vadis, Aida?* and [*The Ascent*](https://film.one/film/the-ascent) are gruelling war dramas that keep moral choices close to frightened, fallible people. We recommend *Quo Vadis, Aida?* for the immediate urgency of a mother trying to save her family; *The Ascent*, following two partisans into a collaborator’s interrogation room, is the stronger fit for an interest in conscience under pressure. Neither suits a tired evening.

**What should I watch after Quo Vadis, Aida??**

After *Quo Vadis, Aida?*, try [*The Ascent*](https://film.one/film/the-ascent) (1977, Fi1m 88): Another war drama that keeps moral choices close to frightened, fallible people. Then [*The Official Story*](https://film.one/film/the-official-story) (1985, Fi1m 81): A family story that makes political violence impossible to keep outside; and [*The Lives of Others*](https://film.one/film/the-lives-of-others) (2006, Fi1m 84): For another tense account of institutions deciding how much a life matters.

### Reviews we read (12)

- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (5/5): O’Sullivan calls the film a strong Oscar contender and an intensely upsetting drama. She praises its shifts in pace and its ability to make moments of tenderness and impending violence feel equally vivid. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/quo-vadis-aida-review-bosnia-serbia-b900466.html)
- **IndieWire**, Jude Dry (A-): Dry calls the film a gripping, tragic, and humane account of genocide. She praises Žbanić’s slow-building tension and Aida-centered perspective for preserving the characters’ humanity while deepening the tragedy. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/quo-vadis-aida-review-bosnian-genocide-war-drama-1234586497/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (90/100, inferred): Chang praises the film as a taut, shattering account of the Srebrenica massacre that maintains urgency without sensationalizing the violence. He singles out Jasna Đuričić’s physically and emotionally demanding performance and the filmmaking’s restrained immediacy. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-03-09/quo-vadis-aida-review-oscar-international-feature)
- **The Guardian**, Mark Kermode (90/100, inferred): Kermode finds the film profoundly moving, engaging viewers while confronting them with the horror of the massacre. He especially praises Jasna Đuričić’s portrayal of Aida and the film’s human heart amid historical atrocity. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jan/24/quo-vadis-aida-review-srebrenica-massacre-jasmila-zbanic-jasna-duricic)
- **Variety**, Jessica Kiang (90/100, inferred): Kiang finds the film harrowing, compelling, and morally clear in its account of the Srebrenica massacre. She especially praises Jasna Đuričić’s portrayal of Aida, whose position brings the personal and institutional failures into sharp focus. [Read](https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/quo-vadis-aida-review-1234758364/)
- **Empire**, David Parkinson (85/100, inferred): Parkinson finds the film harrowingly compelling and an unflinching exposure of international apathy. He especially praises its humanising focus on Aida and the restless immediacy of the camerawork. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/quo-vadis-aida/)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (85/100, inferred): The review regards the film as a powerful, punishing drama. It singles out Jasna Đuričić’s performance as a particular strength. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/11/movies/quo-vadis-aida-review.html)
- **Screen Daily**, Lee Marshall (75/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as taut and compelling. The review singles out its direct engagement with the Srebrenica massacre. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/quo-vadis-aida-venice-review/5152820.article)
- **Time Out**, Eurico de Barros (65/100, inferred): The page identifies this as a review, but its verdict is not available in the accessible text. No specific element praised or criticized can be confirmed. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/pt/filmes/quo-vadis-aida-2021)
- **The Playlist**, Carlos Aguilar (A): The critic calls the film a masterful, deeply humane work whose tension is nearly unbearable. He especially praises Jasna Đuričić’s restrained, unforgettable performance as a mother fighting to save her family. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/quo-vadis-aida-review-20210310/)
- **Deadline**, Todd McCarthy (90/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film devastating, lucid, and deeply affecting. He especially praises its immersive, coherent direction amid the unfolding chaos. [Read](https://deadline.com/2021/03/review-quo-vadis-aida-bosnia-oscars-international-critics-line-1234708882/)
- **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (85/100, inferred): Wilkinson calls it a hard-hitting drama that sustains profound sadness beneath almost unbearable tension. She praises Jasmila Žbanić’s measured approach and Jasna Đuričić’s finely calibrated performance. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/quo-vadis-aida-2020-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)

## Details

- **Director:** Jasmila Žbanić
- **Director:** Jasmila Žbanić
- **Writer:** Jasmila Žbanić
- **Story:** Hasan Nuhanovic
- **Cinematography:** Christine A. Maier
- **Editor:** Jarosław Kamiński
- **Music:** Antoni Łazarkiewicz
- **Production design:** Hannes Salat
- **Producer:** Damir Ibrahimović, Jasmila Žbanić
- **Cast:** Jasna Đuričić as Aïda Selmanagić; Izudin Bajrović as Nihad; Boris Ler as Hamdija; Dino Bajrović as Sejo; Johan Heldenbergh as Colonel Karremans; Raymond Thiry as Sergeant-major Franken; Boris Isaković as General Ratko Mladić; Emir Hadžihafizbegović as Joka
- **Runtime:** 1h 44m
- **Release (Japan):** 17 September 2021
- **Genres:** War, Drama, History
- **Also in:** [Golden Lion winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-lion.md) (Nominee, 2020)
- **Budget:** $5 million
- **Box office:** $813,253
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErLD8P4VUjY

## Where to watch in Japan

Not streaming, renting or buying in Japan at the last check.

Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, GB, GR, HU, IE, LT, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Gaudí Award for Best European Film 2022: Gaudí Award for Best European Film (nominated)
- LUX European Audience Film Award 2022: LUX European Audience Film Award (won)
- Academy Awards 2021: Best International Feature Film (nominated)
- BAFTA Film Awards 2021: Best Direction (nominated); Best Film Not in the English Language (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Actress 2021: European Film Award for Best Actress (won)
- European Film Award for Best Director 2021: European Film Award for Best Director (won)
- European Film Award for Best Film 2021: European Film Award for Best Film (won)
- European Film Award for Best Screenwriter 2021: European Film Award for Best Screenwriter (nominated)
- European University Film Award 2021: European University Film Award (nominated)
- IFFR audience award 2021: IFFR audience award (won)
- Independent Spirit Awards 2021: Best Foreign Film (nominated)
- International Submission to the Academy Awards 2021: International Submission to the Academy Awards (nominated)
- Golden Orange Award for Best Film in International Competition 2020: Golden Orange Award for Best Film in International Competition (won)
- Venice Film Festival 2020: Golden Lion (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *The Ascent* (1977), Fi1m 88: Another war drama that keeps moral choices close to frightened, fallible people. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-ascent.md)
- *The Official Story* (1985), Fi1m 81: A family story that makes political violence impossible to keep outside. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-official-story.md)
- *The Lives of Others* (2006), Fi1m 84: For another tense account of institutions deciding how much a life matters. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lives-of-others.md)
- *The Missing Picture* (2013): A different, formally inventive way to confront atrocity without turning it into spectacle.
- *The Battle of Algiers* (1966), Fi1m 93: For political filmmaking that makes collective danger immediate without simplifying its causes. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-battle-of-algiers.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/quo-vadis-aida