Words By: Alex Huang
Photo Credit: Barbara Raatgever
Exploration of Identity, Memory, Integration and Belonging
The GMD Centre, in collaboration with LDE Global, LDE International Centre for Frugal Innovation, and the Humanitarian Studies Centre of ISS, hosted a screening of "Home Game" by Lidija Zelović at Lantaren Vester in Rotterdam. After the screening, an insightful panel discussion took place featuring filmmaker Lidija Zelović and our centre's academic expert on urban migration, Asya Pisarevskaya. The discussion, moderated by Tom Ansell (ISS), provided audiences and GMD students with an exploration of migration, identity, and the concept of home.
A Personal Narrative of Migrant Experience That Resonates
Home Game weaves Lidija Zelović's personal journey with broader socio-political themes. Through decades of family footage, the film highlights her family's displacement from war-torn Sarajevo to the Netherlands in 1993. With intimate and often relatable, even humorous scenes—like dinner table discussions about politics and football, her son's monologue, and holidays in Bosnia—the film captures the complexities of belonging that many individuals with migration backgrounds in the Netherlands experience.
Notably, through personal narratives, Lidija Zelović draws parallels between her past experiences in Yugoslavia and current sociopolitical developments in the Netherlands. The film highlights unsettling similarities, such as growing social polarization, rising anti-migrant sentiment, and the emergence of far-right politics.
Photo Credit: Barbara Raatgever
Continuing the Dialogue
After the screening, which evoked a range of emotions, Lidija was joined by Asya and moderator Tom to discuss the much-debated topic of integration, including the different yet similar experiences of immigrants and the concept of national identity — through a personal and academic lens. The insightful panel talk highlighted how personal narratives can stimulate public discussions and foster understanding of complex societal issues.
Both Lidija and Asya wanted the audience to take away the key message: the importance of continuing these discussions. Through films like Home Game, academic research, critical reflection, and dialogue on topics such as identity, migration, and integration—even with those who may not traditionally engage with these themes—meaningful societal changes can occur.
