Warriors (1999)

Warriors
Airdate	November 29, 1999
Written by	Leigh Jackson
Directed by	Peter Kosminsky
Network	BBC One
Style	3-hour war drama
Company	BBC, Deep Indigo
Origin	UK

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Warriors (1999) provides a harrowing look at the war in Bosnia through the eyes of a British army unit deployed to central Bosnia as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission. Hamstrung by a mandate of strict noninterference, the soldiers must idly stand by and witness the atrocities committed around them, powerless to step in and help the victims.

Cast: Matthew Macfadyen (Pte Alan James), Darren Morfitt (Pte Peter Skeet), Cal Macaninch (Sgt Andre Sochanik), Ioan Gruffudd (Lt John Feeley), Joe Renton (Cpl Gary Sprague), Steve Chaplin (Pte Tommo Redmond), Damian Lewis (Lt Neil Loughrey), Jodhi May (Emma), Pauline Yates (Gran), Shaun Dooley (Pte John Hookway), Greg Chisholm (Pte Martin Rook), Simon Shepherd (Major 'Brick' Stone), Tom Ward (Capt Richard Gurney), Ifan Meredith (Lt Jonathan Engel), Carsten Voigt (Rik Langrubber), Sheyla Shehovich (Minka), Jasmina Sijercic (Aida), Branka Katic (Almira Zec)

Co-Stars: Elizabeth Lovelady (Sandra Skeet), Vincent Maguire (Mr Skeet), Eithne Browne (Gloria Skeet), Tony Broughton (Old Sochanik), Deidre Doone (Mrs Sochanik), Joanne Reilly (Judy), Ian Gain (Company Sergeant Major), Fiona Mollison (Mrs Loughrey), Dave Hart (Skeet's Nephew), Linzi Matthews (Cheryl), Suzanne Maddock (June), Enis Beslagic (Croat Officer (Checkpoint)), Alena Filipovic (Young Muslim Woman (Grm)), Predrag Bjelac (Naser Zec), Nives Frenjo (Hajra Zec), Izudin Bajrovic (Boric), Ina Gogalova (Hanka), Zen David Bojic (Teenage Boy (Sase)), Amina Begovic (Mother (Sase)), Miki Avdic (Admir Alisic), Mirsad Tuka (Emir Alisic), Aleksandar Seksan (Croat Leader (Lasva Valley)), Mirna Silajdzic (Injured Girl (Ahmici)), Wayne Cater (Cook Attendant), Hana Kovacevic (Young Girl (Vitez)), Zaim Muzaferija (Imam), Nenad Ognjenovic (Croat Commander), Curt Kreimer (Mercenary), Melanie Gutteridge (Lawyer), Heather Bleasdale (Mother (Supermarket)), Sophie Bleasdale (Child (Supermarket)), Ryan Philpott (Police Officer), Will Adamsdale (Army Officer #1), Christopher Naylor (Army Officer #2)

Trivia

The Show

• What's in a Name: Warrior is the name of a family of British armored combat vehicles, prominently featured in the movie.

Behind the Scenes

• Familiar Role: Sheyla Shehovich, who plays Minka the interpreter, was born in Sarajevo where she later worked as an interpreter for the British Army.[1]

Memorable Moments

• Private James retrieving the wounded Naser Zec from a blood-soaked truck full of dead bodies and later trying to provoke the Croat commander into a violent reaction which would have allowed to kill him.

Quotes

• Sgt. Sochanik: I wouldn't give this job to a dog.

• Pvt. James (addressing Croat commander through interpreter): Tell him that his mother is a whore, and he looks like a pig. In fact he's an insult to humanity. Tell him that if he wants to kill me, it will be a lot harder than beating up young girls, but maybe he does that 'cause he doesn't have a dick. (unzips fly) Get your dick out! Oh, come on, let's see your dick. Or are you a eunuch? Did your mother bite it off when you're having sex? Come on, why let me insult ya? Don't you're a man? Come on, fucker, sort me out. You wanna rape me? Come on! COME ON! YOU AND ME, MATE!

• Lt. Engel: They said the victims were military. That's shit. There were a couple of guys wearing tweed jackets. Now even the English didn't go to war in tweed jackets.

• Mr. Skeet: It was a great job you lads did out there. We're all really proud of you. You were heroes, all of you.
  Pvt. James: Yeah. I think…I think it was shite. What we did. Leaving people to die.

• Lt. Loughrey: I know she's upset. She thinks I don't want this child, but when you've seen babies with their heads blown off, when you've had to drink coffee with men who you know have taken children and crucified them and thrown them into rivers, it's hard to get excited what sort of nappies you should be buying or what color the nursery should be. It's hard to get excited about being a father 'cause you feel so guilty for leaving all these people in the shit.

• Pvt. James: I used to dream about playing for Liverpool, about scoring the winning goal at Wembley and all that. And…now I dream I'm walking on dead bodies. 'Cause that's what I did.

Awards and Accolades

BAFTA, 1999

• Won: Drama Serial

Nigel Stafford-Clark, Peter Kominsky, Leigh Jackson

• Won: Best Sound

David Old, Graham Headicar, Maurice Hillier, Danny Longhurst

• Nominated: Best Design

Phil Roberson

• Nominated: Best Photography and Lighting (Fiction/Entertainment)

Richard Greatrex