The Happiest Man in the World

We may be through with the past, but the past isn’t through with us. At a matchmaking event, a man and a woman seem like they’re perfect for each other, until she discovers they were once on different sides of the Bosnian War. A story of love, forgiveness, and the circumstances that pit us against each other. —M.G.

At a blind date retreat called Touch of Happiness, Asja and Zoran are paired off and shyly subject themselves to an awkward round of ice breaker questions, looking for love. However, they quickly discover that not only do their personal histories lie on opposite sides of the war in Sarajevo, but also that a tragic moment forever links them. While the day progresses, the pleasant, rigid social order begins to collapse, as Asja, Zoran, and their fellow retreat participants unearth long-buried emotions and biases implanted from living during wartime. THE HAPPIEST MAN IN THE WORLD paints a satirical but sobering portrait of a city still processing the effects of war, which linger long after the bloodshed has ended. Through its dry wit and humanity, the film searches for answers on how to move forward. —C.F.