DAYS AND HOURS

DAYS AND HOURS turns an uneventful family gathering into a revelatory and joyous occasion. A 40-ish, sweet-tempered bachelor, Fuke, drives into the hilly, old-town section of Sarajevo to visit his Aunt Sabira and Uncle Idriz. Fifty years together has made the elderly couple a well-oiled machine, even when they?re arguing. The next day is their adored granddaughter?s 10th birthday, a tender subject because of the strained relationship with her widowed mother. Though his son-in-law was killed, Idriz, an old-world Muslim, disapproves of the fact that his daughter is dating. Mechanical failures stand in for larger world issues; when the boiler and car break down, the conversation is universal. With gentle humor, the finale is a celebration, one that?s meant to ripple out to all Bosnians.