Mostar United

It's been years since the war ended, but Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina is still a divided city. Ethnic conflicts are kept alive in a town split into a Croatian and a Bosnian side. All symbols of the former unity have disappeared, apart from the multicultural soccer team Velez, where the Bosniak Mensud Durakovic coaches the youth teams. Because of their young age, the children don't remember the war, but the conflict still manages to get to them. At Mensud's son Dzenen's high school, for example, Bosniaks and Croatians are in different classes. "They are learning the history of the Republic of Croatia, while we learn the history of Bosnia-Herzegovina," Dzenen explains. Coach Durakovic tries to teach his players more about each other by organising mixed football tournaments and making sure everything goes smoothly. Unfortunately, the reality is that police have to attend every game, and hooligans spread hatred with their slogans. Dzenen, who might grow up to be a professional soccer player one day, often thinks about leaving town. He's fed up with the way people treat each other. "We kids aren't guilty of any of this." Director Claudia Tosi followed father and son Durakovic for four years, a period during which hope and disappointment continually alternate with one another. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)