An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker

Epizoda u životu berača željeza

A Roma family lives far from the urban centres of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The father Nazif salvages metal from old cars and sells it to a scrap-dealer, the mother Senada keeps the house tidy, cooks, bakes and cares for their two small daughters. One day, she feels a sharp pain in her abdomen. At the hospital she is told there is something wrong with the baby she is carrying: "They say it’s dead." She is at risk of septicaemia and they must operate immediately. But Senada has no medical insurance and since the operation will cost much more than the family can afford, the hospital’s head refuses to treat her. A race against time, together with a mounting sense of hopelessness, played by a cast of non-professional actors re-enacting an episode from their own lives. Winner of the Silver Bear Jury Grand Prix and the Silver Bear for best actor at the Berlin Film Festival 2013.

Streaming info last checked: 20 Jan 2026