The Srebrenica Tape
In possession of a rare VHS tape shot by her father during the enclave years of Srebrenica, Alisa goes on a journey to uncover the history of her war-torn family, in search of understanding and healing. An intimate search for traces and a journey back to the enclave years of Srebrenica and the genocide of July 1995.
In July 1995, the Army of the Republika Srpska (VRS) captured Srebrenica and massacred 8,000 Muslim men. The Bosnian Serb Army troops destroyed every trace of Srebrenica’s inhabitants: their diaries, photos and letters. One VHS survived this destruction. A unique document: a 4-hour film describing in emotional detail everyday life in the enclave and shot for a single viewer: Alisa, the then nine-year-old daughter of Sejfo, avid amateur filmmaker and resident of Srebrenica.
Alisa will return to Srebrenica to trace the footsteps of her father. She will meet the people who appear in her father’s film. Alisa’s father’s film is the point of departure for her quest for clues to answer questions surrounding family and belonging, after her life is forever altered by one of modern Europe’s greatest crimes against humanity.
A film by Chiara Sambuchi
Director of Photography Paolo Pisacane
Editor Claudia Linzer, Torsten Striegnitz
Composer Hannes Gill, Luca Ciut
Idea by Jaap Verdenius
Creative Producer Antje Boehmert
Original Sound Francesco Guarnaccia
Additional Editor Simone Dobmeier, Regina Wallner
Graphics Jona-Tristan Köhring
Animation Lisa Schmölzer
Color Grading Gerfried Guggi
Sound Design & Mix Katharina Pichler, Christopher Frank, Jochen Voerste
Production Management Stefanie Kaiser, Arndt Fehl, Nele Huff
Associate Producer Isam Karahasanovic
Line Producer Postproduction Hansjürgen Schmölzer
Line Producer rbb Dennis Münch, Paul Thimm
Line Producer Ko Miklik
Commissioning Editors Simone Reuter (rbb) Bernd Seidl (SWR/arte), Matthias Leybrand (BR), Lucie Kon (BBC), Dieter Roser (DW), Ivana Pauerová (Česká Televize)
Executive Producer Antje Boehmert
Produced by DOCDAYS Productions in co-production with
Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, Südwestrundfunk, Bayerischer Rundfunk, BBC Storyville, Deutsche Welle, Česká Televize, Al Jazeera Balkans, BH Telekom in collaboration with ARTE. Film Funding by FISA+.
Length 90 Min
Year of Production 2025
In possession of a rare VHS tape shot by her father during the enclave years of Srebrenica, Alisa goes on a journey to uncover the history of her war-torn family, in search of understanding and healing. An intimate search for traces and a journey back to the enclave years of Srebrenica and the genocide of July 1995.
In July 1995, the Army of the Republika Srpska (VRS) captured Srebrenica and massacred 8,000 Muslim men. The Bosnian Serb Army troops destroyed every trace of Srebrenica’s inhabitants: their diaries, photos and letters. One VHS survived this destruction. A unique document: a 4-hour film describing in emotional detail everyday life in the enclave and shot for a single viewer: Alisa, the then nine-year-old daughter of Sejfo, avid amateur filmmaker and resident of Srebrenica.
Alisa will return to Srebrenica to trace the footsteps of her father. She will meet the people who appear in her father’s film. Alisa’s father’s film is the point of departure for her quest for clues to answer questions surrounding family and belonging, after her life is forever altered by one of modern Europe’s greatest crimes against humanity.
A film by Chiara Sambuchi
Director of Photography Paolo Pisacane
Editor Claudia Linzer, Torsten Striegnitz
Composer Hannes Gill, Luca Ciut
Idea by Jaap Verdenius
Creative Producer Antje Boehmert
Original Sound Francesco Guarnaccia
Additional Editor Simone Dobmeier, Regina Wallner
Graphics Jona-Tristan Köhring
Animation Lisa Schmölzer
Color Grading Gerfried Guggi
Sound Design & Mix Katharina Pichler, Christopher Frank, Jochen Voerste
Production Management Stefanie Kaiser, Arndt Fehl, Nele Huff
Associate Producer Isam Karahasanovic
Line Producer Postproduction Hansjürgen Schmölzer
Line Producer rbb Dennis Münch, Paul Thimm
Line Producer Ko Miklik
Commissioning Editors Simone Reuter (rbb) Bernd Seidl (SWR/arte), Matthias Leybrand (BR), Lucie Kon (BBC), Dieter Roser (DW), Ivana Pauerová (Česká Televize)
Executive Producer Antje Boehmert
Produced by DOCDAYS Productions in co-production with
Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, Südwestrundfunk, Bayerischer Rundfunk, BBC Storyville, Deutsche Welle, Česká Televize, Al Jazeera Balkans, BH Telekom in collaboration with ARTE. Film Funding by FISA+.
Length 90 Min
Year of Production 2025