THE PRODUCTION: On the day before embarking on our three week production trip throughout Europe I called an agent for advice on what might make our film better positioned for distribution. She politely responded that my project was too ambitious without the backing of a major company like the BBC and she basically implied that I'd be crazy to get on the plane to Europe and begin. Documentary filmmakers are often told to pick projects that they are passionate about because there are many times on the path of getting the film completed that the only thing that will keep you from quitting is the passion. That was absolutely true with this film. Aside from never getting the funding that we anticipated, this film came in the midst of a complete meltdown at our company. We somehow persevered and completed the film. Although it was at the minor end of problems that we faced, I thought the following little anecdote nicely sums up how filmmakers must dodge the bullets that come every day when making a film. Strapped for cash, we planned our European production trip to the minute and didn't have one day to lose, which is why getting stopped by Croatian border guards while on the road to Sarajevo made us nervous. The film's most compelling interviews would be lost if we didn't get out of their guard shack fast. Things started poorly when the unmarked white pills that one of our crew took for asthma spilled out of a backpack. Just when we had convinced one guard that we werent smuggling illegal drugs, I noticed another guard leafing through a book about Croatian war crimes, which a controversial human rights activist had given us. Given the sensitivities that our film's subject has in the region, I nervously explained that I didn't like the activist. The guard shrugged and responded that he thought that there should be more people like him. Not sure if the guard was setting a trap, I responded, "Well, he wasn't very nice to us," which, by the way, was true. We found it ironic that a human rights activist was the one person who treated our crew so poorly. At this point I was acutely aware that the guard could demand any number of documents that we didn't have and prevent us from continuing. A million thoughts raced through my mind about what do next as he quietly considered what to do with us. The guard finally smiled and said, "My wife's not always nice to me, but that doesn't make her bad." Relief. I knew that commiserating over our complaining wives would get me to Sarajevo on time. PRODUCTION STILLS: Director Jack Baric interviews Author/Philosopher Alain Finkielkraut in Paris, France DP Jared Cotton films B Roll of former Croatian soldier Zarko Pavletic in Vukovar, Croatia Baric with former Croatia Foreign Minister Mate Granic before interview in Zagreb, Croatia Chris Burke getting a shot in London, England Baric and human rights activist Sonja Biserko after interview in Belgrade, Serbia Cotton and Baric use a taxi hood as a makeshift desk in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina A toast to peace in rural Croatia