Danis Tanovic

Bosnian writer/director Danis Tanovic has received numerous awards and nominations for his cinematic endeavors, with his 2001 war movie "No Man's Land" winning an Oscar in the foreign-film category, as well as receiving many other prizes. A long-time resident of Sarajevo, Tanovic filmed military missions during the Bosnian War, and these experiences particularly informed his second feature, "No Man's Land." Focusing on two trapped soldiers from opposing sides of the conflict, the film depicts the brutality of trench warfare, with their situation becoming increasingly dire. The lauded movie gave Tanovic international exposure, and his next project was a segment in the anthology production "September 11," which also included contributions from an eclectic array of filmmakers such as Ken Loach, Mira Nair, and Sean Penn. The director's next project was "Hell," a French drama about three sisters, based on a screenplay co-written by the revered late Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski. Although the movie wasn't nearly as successful or acclaimed as "No Man's Land," it established Tanovic as an unpredictable director willing to make considerable stylistic shifts. He returned to the theme of military conflict with 2009's "Triage," starring Colin Farrell as an Irish photographer who is traumatized by his time spent in war-torn Kurdistan. With 2010's "Cirkus Columbia," Tanovic opted to create a more understated dramatic tale that marked a homecoming to Bosnia for the director.