Where to Watch Testament (2025)

Summary

Testament is a humorous yet deeply layered Bosnian comedy set in the early 1990s, just before the outbreak of war. The film demystifies the idea of the "will" (testament)-a common source of family conflict and tragic outcomes in Bosnian rural life. The story follows Asad, a young man who is stunned to discover that he did not inherit any property after his father's death. In his attempt to find purpose and stability, he becomes entangled in the world of industrial Zenica and its infamous steel factory, Zeljezara, navigating the harsh reality of working-class life while clinging to his dreams of education and dignity-without ever fully leaving the village. Alongside him is his best friend Dzevad, a crafty and witty trickster whose small-time scams offer sharp, comedic insight into the mindset of a community caught between tradition and transition. Through Dzevad's antics, the film playfully exposes the contradictions, hypocrisy, and vulnerability of people in that era. Using humor to explore serious themes-such as workers' rights, the collapse of values, family ties, and the illusion of social mobility-Testament paints a poignant yet funny portrait of ordinary Bosnian life on the edge of a historical rupture.