Sarajevo ljubavi moja

Yesterday I saw an amazing film, Grbavica, winner of the Golden Bear (i.e., Best Picture) at the 2006 Berlin Film Festival, among other awards. The story takes place in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, where a single mother and child are trying to get by after the devastating Yugoslav wars of the 90s. It's a moving mixture of the mundane and the breathtaking, resulting in a heart wrenching tale that is certainly one of the better films I've seen of late.

The movie also closes with a beautiful song, "Sarajevo ljubavi moja" ("Sarajevo Love of Mine"), by Kemal Monteno. Here's a live acoustic version of it from YouTube:



Additionally, a studio cut (the version used for the film credits) choreographed to a slide show of Sarajevo photos:



The song alone is also available from Imeem:

And in case you want to see the lyrics:

Sarajevo ljubavi moja Zajedno smo rasli grade ja i ti, isto plavo nebo poklonilo nam stih, ispod Trebevica sanjali smo sne, ko ce brze rasti ko ce ljepsi biti. Ti si bio velik a rodio se ja s Igmana uz osmijeh slao si mi san djecak koji raste zavolio te tad ostao je ovde vezan za svoj grad. Bilo gdje da krenem o tebi sanjam putevi me svi tebi vode, cekam s nekom ceznjom na svijetla tvoja Sarajevo ljubavi moja, Pjesme svoje imas i ja ih pjevam zelim da ti kazem sta sanjam radosti su moje i sreca tvoja Sarajevo ljubavi moja. Kada prodju zime i dodje lijepi maj djevojke su ljepse ljubavi im daj setaliste tamno uzdasima zri neke oci plave neke rijeci njezne. Sad je djecak covjek i zima pokri brijeg park i kosa bijeli al otici ce snijeg proljece i mladost ispunice tad Sarajevo moje jedini moj grad.

Sarajevo, love of mine We grew up together city, you and me the same blue sky gave us rhymes under Trebevic we dreamt dreams who will grow faster who will be nicer You were great, and I was born From Igman with a smile you sent me my dreams A boy growing up fell in love with you then He stayed here, connected to his city Wherever I turn, I dream of you All roads lead me to you I wait with some longing for your lights Sarajevo love of mine You have your songs, and I sing them I want to tell you what I dream The pleasures are mine and happiness yours Sarajevo love of mine When the cold passes and fine May comes The girls are nicer, give them love Walk the walkways with sighs in the dark Some blue eyes, some tender words Now the boy is a man and the winter covers the mounatin The park and hair is grey, but the snow will go away Spring and youth will then fill my Sarajevo, my only city

Finally, if this has wet your appetite for all things Bosnian, you may want to check out the following blog, a great resource especially if you plan to travel there one day:

http://www.beyondsarajevo.com/