Vedran, who alone fled to Sweden as a teenager from the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1992, lives happily in his adopted country. One day he receives a phone call from the authorities in Sarajevo that are forcing him to return. Whilst back in Sarajevo, during a few hot summer days, he is confronted with questions of identity and belonging. In one of the leading roles is Sweden’s Boris Glibusić who has a part in the upcoming Swedish/Danish TV series The Bridge, season 3.
Swedish producer China Åhlander (pictured) who won four Guldbagge in 2013 for Eat Sleep Die says: “It's a bit surprising that this is the first co-production between the countries. Since the Balkan war in the 1990's, Sweden has a large Bosnian population, but up until now only a few film projects have been exploring this relationship. Looking at the global and European refugee crisis it also feels extremely important to tell this story and to share our experiences from 20 years ago.“
The Key received support from Film Fund Sarajevo, Eurimages, the Swedish Film Institute, Polish Film Institute and Film i Skåne. Folkets Bio will release the film in Sweden.
Åhlander has two other films with Sarajevo born Goran Kapetanović, a graduate from Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts who now lives in Malmö: the short film Refugee 532 that just screened at Nordisk Panorama and the feature length Min faster I Sarajevo (My Aunt in Sarajevo) that will premiere in the winter.