'Super Modern Concentration Camp'

5 Aug 200913
Bill Carter's 'Miss Sarajevo' is a surreal and startling portrait of the capital city of Bosnia, during the height of the city's siege. Equipped with a simple hand-held camera Carter manages to capture the story of young people stuck in Sarajevo during the siege from 1992 to 1996 - 'an alternative scene of artists, young people and those determined to live as normal a life as they could under the most difficult and dangerous conditions.'

The documentary, produced by Bono, won the International Monitor Award, Golden Hugo, and the Maverick Director Award (Newport Beach Film Festival). More details on Miss Sarajevo and on what Bill is up to in 2009.





Were you in Sarajevo at the time ? Did you see U2 play the city in 1997 ? Will you be at the shows in Zagreb? What are your memories... and what does it mean for the band to be returning? Let us know below.
Comments
13
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Orlando73
Sarajevo memories
I traveled to Sarajevo from Zagreb in 1997. I did not come for Pop, I did not even enjoy the concert musically that much. Still, there was something I will never forget: When the buses arrived from all parts of former Yugoslavia - Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia...countries that had been at war until recently (so it was not understood that there would be no incident), I started observing all those young people, their faces when coming out of those buses....The one thing I saw was dignity, even quietness, there was not even the slightest touch of hostility and as far as I know, there was no hostility or incident during and after the concert either. I remember how absurd and sad at the same time it felt to see that there, on one single night, peace among young people with no hatred in their hearts was so easily achieved. How was it possible that peace had so easily been destroyed a few years before, with so horrible consequences?
TheVrk
Surreal
Born in Canada of Croatian heritage and now live in Zagreb. I NEVER thought i'd see the day U2 come to Zagreb. INCREDIBLY excited for Aug. 10th! Bring the LOVE!
anastazijavrzina
Coming to a place much like Ireland
Bill's documentary & Bono's passion were wonderful and Miss Sarajevo is an amazing, all-time all-place song about Bosnia with lyrics of Ivan Gundulić, great Croatian poet at the end. It says it all. We felt happy in 1997 that U2 came to Sarajevo - from Zagreb it was a dangerous trip of 8-9 hours, but many went to see you there. As much as we felt very sad that nobody looked at Croatia which a third of its land was wasted in the war at the time as well. We waited a very long time - how fast the first concert was sold out - says everything. Come and give us some old genuine U2 hope, we live in difficult times again. Thanks for coming twice!
Bill + U2 = Miss Sarajevo
1997, I was standing at the stadium and listening…Sarajevo was singing loud and live…Is there a time for keeping your distance, A time to turn your eyes away, Is there a time for keeping your head down, For getting on with your day…what a magical moment, what a spectacular night! Thank you Bill Carter, thank you U2!
Sarajevo is waiting...
Bill Carter is a shining star in the Bosnian sky. He cared for us when the rest of the world did not, giving us hope and being the window out of the ugly, dark box Sarajevo used to be during the war. Eventually he showed U2 the way to our hearts. War ended in 1995 but U2 playing in Sarajevo was the closing we all needed. Incredible. Having Bill and the band honorary citizens of Sarajevo makes me feel even more proud for being Sarajevan myself. Thank you Bill. Thank you U2. And... We are waiting for you in Sarajevo. And looking forward to the concert in Zagreb-I know it is going to be a blast!!!
Ognen
No more numbness
I am from Macedonia and I was 16 when the war in Yugoslavia started... I cried my heart out for moths. Then, slowly, I started to grow numb, gradually, until one evening I was having dinner and there was a report on television that a bomb had exploded on a market in Sarajevo. For and instant, I was still numb but then I realised that it was the worst nightmare I had ever had: eating in front of the TV and feeling nothing faced with scenes of carnage. I burst into tears and I could not recover for hours, I sobbed like a little child. Ironically, I was glad that I no longer felt numb. I'll be in Zagreb on the 10 of August, with my wife, my brother and sister-in-law. I'm glad that there will be so many of us from the Balkans, together, in unison.
Koksy
ZG
Back in 1997 U2 managed to unite the entire Balcan area in Sarajevo. And though the war ended more than a decade ago, images of the past stayed clear in our heads. Hope the shows in Zagreb will unite us again, this time in a thought of no more war. No more... Zagreb welcomes you with hearts wide open!
mheiler
Zagreb
Few words on upcoming concert in Zagreb, 8/10.Fan from 1984 (8 years old) and singing along with violines „carnival, the wheels fly and the color spin..“; 1991 (15 years old) horrors of war in Croatia, shelters and sirens wailing, beautiful melancholy of „...her skin is pale like Gods only dove..“ keep me going on,and finally 2009 (3rd masterpiece of U2 for me, 33 years old) watching my two children (Lana 5,5, Luka 2,5) singing „..magnificent...“ and magnificent what U2 really are. Thank you.
haris8
miss sarajevo much?
I'd love for U2 to come to Sarajevo again. The zagreb concert will be good, but not the same. much love for U2 and bill carter!
Azra72
Come back...
Yes, I was there at the time... Yes, I did see U2 Play in 1997... It was one of the most wonderful moments of my life. What Bill Carter did for us is something out of this world. When the whole world turned its back on us, he was there, sharing our agony, our despair, our happiness. He brought the light. I'll never ever forget that! Thank you, Bill, for believing in us! The world didn't care, but Bill did... Bono did. That's what matters. Unfortunately, I won't make it to Zagreb. I'm waiting to see you guys in Sarajevo again. It's not just me. Sarajevo is waiting. That's why I can't say the band is returning. The band is playing in Zagreb, which is great, but let's call it "returning" once they play in Sarajevo again...
nixa
thank you U2
Can't believe U2 are coming to my town, and they will perform two days!!! I hope love will conquer the world! at least for two nights
afulan@u2.com
miss sarajevo
I was there during the war,living in a small city not too far from Sarajevo. Live links with U2, concert that happened in 1997 in Sarajevo as well as work (passion to help others )of Mr Bill Carter changed my life forever. I'm so grateful to live and experience what music and love truly are. Thanks to Bill Carter and U2!
Rebellion
Wake Up Dead Man
U2 came to Sarajevo and they really woke up the people. Gave them a hope. Also, the people, Sarajevo and the whole war going on gave to Bono, Larry, Adam and Edge something that they held in their music and that remained untill today. Yes, we are sorry not to be in a chance to hear U2 earlier in the past 12 years, but we are so much happier to hear them now finnaly, in Zagreb. At home. Last week U2 went home to Dublin. Now, U2 comes to our home. And we hope to hear Miss Zagreb :) P.S. These scenes up in the video.... Very touching, so truth, so sad, but inspiring. Hope survived. Do what U did once before, guys, wake up these people, these walkin' dead men.
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