(A)Torsion

2003 0h 13m SR

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 14

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

(A) Torsion is a 2002 Bosnian short film directed by Stefan Arsenijevic. A singing group, trying to escape war-torn Sarajevo, has to wait for a tunnel to clear. While they wait, a cow has difficulty giving birth because of the "torsion" affecting its calf (i.e., it's in a twisted position inside). Fortunately, one of the choir members has some veterinary training, and with help from the chorus to drown out the sounds of war, the cow gives birth. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Admir Glamočak
Davor Janjić
Almedin Leleta
Dječak
Emina 'Minka' Muftić
Mirjana Šajinović
Brane Gruber
Branko Ličen
Matija Bulatović

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Stefan Arsenijević
Writers: Abdulah Sidran
Languages: Bosnian
Countries: Slovenia

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 13-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

ERA

Did you know

Released 23 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

CAST

Did you know

Admir Glamočak and Davor Janjić and Almedin Leleta carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0350476 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

Only 14 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Stefan Arsenijević directs. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Slovenia. Dialogue in Bosnian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 13-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 23 years ago.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Admir Glamočak and Davor Janjić and Almedin Leleta carry the top of the cast.
5IMDB entry: tt0350476 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
6Only 14 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Runtime: 13 min · 0h 13m
Status: Released
Original language: SR
IMDB: (A)Torsion (2003)

Awards

European Film Award for Best Short Film

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Stefan Arsenijević

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-06-21
★ 7/10
Why didn't James Herriott ever think of this when he was faced with a difficult bovine delivery? A group of Bosnian choristers are awaiting their turn to use one of the safe routes - an old mine - out of Sarajevo so they can get to a competition in Paris and defend the honour of their war-torn nation. They have to wait until the incoming group arrive, though, and in the intervening moments a farmer races up to them asking if anyone is a doctor. Nobody is, but one trained to be a vet - and he is exactly what is needed. A cow has a twisted uterus and unless someone helps urgently both cow and calf will die. He reluctantly agrees to help, but with shells dropping all around them the animal is hardly in the condition to settle, let alone to have him stick his hands into her nether regions. How to calm her? I know, get the choir to sing something suitably soothing but loud enough to drown out the noise of the bombs. The thing is though, birthing isn't the half of it as the totally shattered "Spotty" isn't so very keen on getting back up off the hay. Luckily, the vet (Davor Janjic) has a cunning plan for that too! It's got something of the Nativity to it, this, with some dark humour peppering what is - on multiple fronts - a matter of life and death. My favourite character, however, is none of them - but the sentry guarding the tunnel whose slightly sarcastic tone and attitude did rather sum up not just the futility of war but of the stoicism of those fighting (whilst chewing gum). Well worth quarter of an hour.

Production companies