Sabina Vajrača
Director | Writer | Philosopher
Sevap / Mitzvah
SEVAP / MITZVAH
Short Film | Period Drama
Status: In Festivals
In 1941 Nazi-occupied Bosnia, a Muslim woman risks her life to save her Jewish friends and is saved by them in turn
50 years later.
Inspired by a true story.
Follow:
“A masterpiece” ~ Film Business
"Simply incredible" ~ Bain's Film Review
"Riveting, edge-of-the-seat gem" ~ The Word
UPCOMING SCREENINGS
2024 Dayton Jewish Film Festival (Ohio)
June 6, 2024 | 7:15pm
The Neon, 130 E. 5th St, Dayton, OH
2024 Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (Tokyo, Japan)
June 9, 2024 | 11:20am | Omotesando Hills, Shibuya City, Tokyo
June 4-30, 2024 | Online | in Japan only
Director/Writer: Sabina Vajrača
Producers: Kerim Mašović, Sabina Vajrača
Executive Producer: Diana Sanela Jenkins / D Empire Ent.
Executive Producer: Azra Isaković
Co-Producer: Ivo Kaunitz
Director of Photography: Alen Alilović
Production & Costume Designer: Adisa Vatreš Selimović
Asst. Production & Costume Designer: Monika Močević
Props Master: Admir "Guma" Karkelja
Composer: Merima Ključo
Casting: Vanja Nikolić
Editor: Saša Peševski
Script Consultant: Richard Kletter
History Consultant: Eli Tauber
Book Illustrations by: Aurélie Tournois, inspired by
the works of Nesim Tahirović
CAST
Zejneba Hardaga: Helena Vuković
Bahra Hardaga: Sanela Krsmanović-Bistrivoda
Rifka Kabiljo: Magdalena Živaljić Tadić
Mustafa Hardaga: Adnan Hasković
Izet Hardaga: Muhamed Hadžović
Josef Kabiljo: Frano Mašković Mačak
Ivica: Rijad Gvozden
Older Zejneba Hardaga: Emina Minka Muftić
Older Rifka Kabiljo: Jasna Buha
Aida Hardaga: Snežana Vidović
JDC Representative: Reshad Strik
Translator: Amar Selimović
Benjamin Kabiljo: Darijan Mehmedpašić
Tova Kabiljo: Ela Selimović
Young Aida Hardaga: Uma Fijuljanin
Young Zejneba Hardaga: Dalia Kalamujić
Young Rifka Kabiljo: Reina Selimović
Bahra and Izet's Older Son: Aton Ilaj Kurt
Bahra and Izet's Younger Son: Omar Mahmutagić
Woman at the Marketplace: Asja Pavlović
AWARDS
2024 Academy® Awards Contender
2021 Claims Conference Emerging Filmmaker Grant
2024 Sedona Int'l Film Festival ~ Directors' Choice + Audience Award
2023 ECOCINE Film Festival ~ Human Rights Award
2023 Centre Film Festival ~ Gratitude Award
2023 Sedicicorto Int'l Film Festival ~ Audience Award
2023 Flickers' Rhode Island Int'l FF ~ Jury Award: International Vision Award
2023 Cordillera Int'l Film Festival ~ Jury Award: Best Female Focus
OFFICIAL SELECTION
2024 American Pavilion Showcase at Cannes (Cannes, France)
2024 Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (Tokyo, Japan)
2024 Toronto Jewish Film Festival (Toronto, Canada)
2024 West Virginia Jewish Film Festival (Charleston, WV)
2024 Dayton Jewish Film Festival (Dayton, OH)
2024 Santa Cruz Jewish Film Festival (Santa Cruz, CA)
2024 Sedona Int'l Film Festival (Sedona, AZ) ~ WINNER: Directors' Choice Humanitarian Award + Audience Award
2024 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (Atlanta, GA)
2024 Miami Jewish Film Festival (Miami, FL)
2023 Passaggi d’Autore (Italy)
2023 ECOCINE Int'l Film Festival (Brazil) ~ WINNER: Human Rights Award
2023 Lake County Film Festival (Grayslake, IL)
2023 Ojai Film Festival (Ojai, CA)
2023 Centre Film Festival (Phillipsburg, PA) ~ WINNER: Gratitude Award
2023 Joyce Forum Jewish Short Film Festival (San Diego, CA)
2023 Sedicicorto Int'l Film Festival (Italy) ~ WINNER: Audience Award
2023 Aladerri Film Festival (Chicago, IL)
2023 HollyShorts (Los Angeles, CA)
2023 Flickers' Rhode Island Int'l FF (Providence, RI) ~ WINNER: Flickers' Int'l Vision Award for breaking down cultural barriers through film
2023 Cordillera International Film Festival (Reno, NV) ~ WINNER: Best Female Focus
2023 Cleveland International Film Festival (Cleveland, OH) ~ PREMIERE
REVIEWS
Film Business: "A masterpiece ... not to be missed"
Film Threat: "The filmmaker does incredible work"
Hollywood Times: "A must-watch film"
Los Angeles News: "Writer-Director Sabina Vajrača is impressive"
UK Film: "Brilliantly realized ... impressive and worthy drama"
Take2Indie: "Transcendent story ... inspiring."
One Film Fan: "Absolutely inspiring"
The Word: "Riveting, edge-of-the-seat gem"
Eye for Film: "A remarkable piece of work"
ARTICLES
Variety: "Humanitas Prize Toast"
Deadline Hollywood: "Humanitas Prize Winners"
MovieJawn: "6 recommended short films from this year's HollyShorts Film Festival"
INTERVIEWS
RealTV HollyShorts Red Carpet (VIDEO)
B'nai B'rith International (VIDEO)
AwardsDaily: "Director Sabina Vajrača On the Choice Between Fear and Love"
The Jewish Chronicle: "Meet the Muslim and Jew who saved each other's lives in conflicts decades apart"
Authority Magazine: "Why & How Filmmaker Sabina Vajraca Is Helping
Classic Couple: "Filmmaker 5 with Sabina Vajraca: Sevap/Mitzvah"
Theatre FullStop: "Writer and Director Sabina Vajraca talks about her latest film SEVAP/MITZVAH"
IN BOSNIAN
N1 TV Interview (VIDEO): "Film Sabine Vajrače Sevap/Mitzvah među kandidatima za Oscar"
N1 TV Interview (VIDEO): "Istinita ratna priča poslužila kao inspiracija za film Sevap"
Klix Interview: "Stiže nam film koji isprepliće sudbine muslimana i Jevreja:
Evo zašto ga vrijedi pogledati"
Klix: "U centru Sarajeva osvanule nacističke zastave, snima se film o Drugom svjetskom ratu"
Klix: "Sabina Vajrača osvojila nagradu Claims Conferncea za film 'Sevap/Mitzvah'"
Oslobodjenje: "Film bosansko-američke režiserke Sabine Vajrače
