Today at 3 p.m., as part of the BH Film program, the documentary HOUSE WITH HEART, directed by Sabaheta Džafica, will have its premiere. This is a film about growing up, migration, uncertainty, and humanity. It is a film about the two most important things in life: home and family.
The protagonist of this film is Ibrahim. At first glance, he seems like any other teenager. He loves football and FC Barcelona, and spends a lot of time scrolling on his phone. Yet Ibrahim’s life so far has been far more challenging than that of most of his peers. He is a migrant from Morocco who, together with his best friend and brother, has found a temporary home in Sarajevo. They live in a Safe House for underage migrants. For now, they are happy—they have a roof over their heads and are surrounded by people who truly care about them. But this could soon change: Ibrahim is turning eighteen, and he will soon have to leave the house.
HOUSE WITH HEART tackles the topic of migration, focusing on the most vulnerable group—unaccompanied minors. It tells the story of young boys we too often forget are, and should be, children like all others. Fortunately, in Sarajevo, Ibrahim and Ayoub have found people who genuinely care: educators, guardians, social workers, and other staff in the house who treat them as family. Here, they can once again be carefree—spending their free time playing, socializing, calling their parents, and taking part in meaningful activities provided by the Jesuit Refugee Service in Bosnia and Herzegovina together with partners such as Bushido Academy, Berise Academy, and Musicians Without Borders. Thanks to these opportunities, Ibrahim is finally able to develop his incredible talent for painting.
Through this film, we are reminded once again of the importance of family—and of the many different forms that family can take. As Ibrahim himself says: family is not only where you were born—family is where you don’t have to explain who you are and where you come from.
Bojana Vidosavljević
