Set in the midst of the Bosnian war of 1992-1995, this unforgiving drama follows the life of a young schoolteacher who, having been taken from a remote village, is subjected to the most unimaginable horrors. Based on true stories, the film gives an unrestricted account of the treatment of the victims of the war, focussing primarily on the sufferings of female captives.

Natasa Petrovic plays Samira; having just arrived in the village, she is concerned when she notices smoke coming from a nearby village. Hours later, her world is turned upside down. When Serbian soldiers take over, killing the men and taking the terrified women and children to an unknown location. What follows is an incredible piece of film-making; without a doubt the most powerful film I have ever seen, at times difficult to watch, yet utterly consuming and convincing.

Petrovic is phenomenal – as a newcomer she deals with such horrifying themes with magnificent grace and sensitivity. Although unrelentingly unpleasant, it is imperative that these stories get told; this film celebrates the strength of those women who have undergone inconceivable torture, and brings to light events which many of us know so little about.