TEHRAN- In an exclusive conversation with the Tehran Times, Miran Zupanič, the Slovenian director behind the revelatory documentary “Sarajevo Safari,” delves into one of the most disturbing and little-known episodes of the Bosnian War. His 2022 film uncovers shocking testimonies suggesting that, during the siege of Sarajevo (1992–1996), wealthy foreign “sniper-tourists” paid to shoot civilians from Bosnian Serb positions. With painstaking research and courage, Zupanič brings to light the shadowy phenomenon of “man-hunting,” exploring how cruelty, commerce and war intersected in a city under siege. In this interview, he reflects on his journey from skepticism to conviction, the resistance he faced, and the moral urgency that drove him to expose this haunting chapter of modern history.

The following is the text of the interview:

What inspired you to make “Sarajevo Safari,” and how did you first learn about the phenomenon of “sniper tourists” during the Siege of Sarajevo? Was there a particular story, individual, or source that convinced you this documentary needed to be made?

I first heard about the Sarajevo safari in 2019 from my producer Franci Zajc. I was filming a documentary with him in Bosnia and Herzegovina already in 1993. Later, he went there again with cameraman, and we used footage from that time in our film, especially the footage from Sarajevo. At that time, Franci heard various rumors in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which he later investigated himself without telling me anything about it. Well, and when he told me about the safari, of course I didn't believe him, beyond anything I could imagine. Franci told me that he already had a man who was present at some stages of the safari. So I met this man, he worked for an American agency. In Bosnia and Herzegovina his task was to collect information on the ground and that's how he came into contact with safari. His story was convincing and without contradictions, I realized he is a professional who really and accurately observes things and reports on them convincingly enough that his testimony cannot be ignored. So we began our research.

Do you think this phenomenon was purely opportunistic (war tourism), or was there an ideological dimension — for example, far-right beliefs or dehumanizing the “other”? 

People of different nationalities and religions lived in Sarajevo, and they were all potential victims of snipers. I don't know what the ideological beliefs of these ”tourist shooters” were. But they certainly viewed their potential victims as subhuman, as wild animals. 

Could you share with us in which countries “Sarajevo Safari” has been screened so far, how audiences and critics have responded, and whether you believe the documentary has succeeded in drawing international attention to these crimes? Additionally, do you think the film has had any influence on legal or political processes related to investigating these events?

The film was financed by the Slovenian Film Center, produced by Arsmedia, and co-produced by Al Jazeera Balkans. The film was broadcast in most European countries via Al Jazeera Balkans' television signal. Maybe even wider, I don't know. The reactions were very diverse: from horror and astonishment at the inhumanity of this safari to categorical denial and accusations that the film was a malicious forgery. However, the film has caused some noticeable shifts in the disclosure of this phenomenon. Journalists have discovered that former US Marine John Jordan testified about this phenomenon before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia as early as 2007. At the time of filming, we had no information about his testimony, which is why it is not included in the film but it is very important for the story. Another very important development took place a few days ago, when the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation into the matter at the initiative of Ezio Gavazetti. This has given the phenomenon enormous media coverage, which may contribute to the disclosure of further elements of this complex picture, which certainly extends across several countries.

One of the film’s central questions is: “What kind of people do this?” Based on your research, how would you describe the psychological and social profile of those who paid to become snipers?

They were certainly wealthy people with considerable social power, as ordinary people would not have been granted such access. I would not speculate about their mental state, as humans are mysterious and incomprehensible beings. The explanation for the primary causes of such extreme actions is beyond my capabilities. However, these were people who felt the need to have the power to decide on life and death. 

What do you want audiences—especially younger people who did not live through the siege—to take away from this documentary, beyond horror and outrage?

With this film, I wanted to contribute to exposing a phenomenon that is unimaginable yet real. I believe that we must constantly ask ourselves what forms evil takes and how we should respond to it, so that we ourselves do not become instruments of evil.

Photo: Sniper fire was a constant threat to residents during the siege of Sarajevo