Excursion (film)

Excursion is a 2023 drama film written and directed by Una Gunjak. Starring Asja Zara Lagumdžija, Nađa Spaho, Maja Izetbegović, Mediha Musliović, Izudin Bajrović and Muhamed Hadžović. It was selected as the Bosnian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards. It is a co-production between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, France, Norway and Qatar.
Excursion had its world premiere at the 76th Locarno Film Festival on August 4, 2023, where it competed for the Golden Leopard – Filmmakers of the Present and was honored with a Special Mention.

Synopsis

Iman, who, as her ninth grade class prepares for a field trip, attracts the attention of an older boy. After a game of truths and dares, a rumor spreads through the school that Iman is pregnant and threatens the field trip, Iman finds herself in a storm of expectations and restrictions, and the events she caused spiral out of control.

Cast

Asja Zara Lagumdžija as Iman
Nađa Spaho as Hana
Maja Izetbegović as Mediha
Mediha Musliović as Razrednica
Izudin Bajrović as Dedo
Muhamed Hadžović as history teacher
Vedran Tuce as music teacher

Production

Principal photography began on April 22, 2022, and ended on May 29 of the same year in the Canton of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Release

Excursion had its world premiere on August 4, 2023, at the 76th Locarno Film Festival, then screened on August 16, 2023, in the out-of-competition section at the 29th Sarajevo Film Festival.

Reception

Critical reception

Neil Young from Screen Daily wrote: "Excursion is especially strong when it comes to dramatising the social and emotional dynamics between those caught in the tricky middle-ground between girlhood and maturity".