BiH capital marks 50th anniversary of its cult WWII movie

A couple sitting in a car watch the movie Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo at a drive-in movie theatre in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on May 6, 2022. Bosnian capital Sarajevo made its cult WWII movie Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo back to audience by organizing a free screening in a drive-in movie theatre on Friday, a move marking the 50th anniversary of this once worldwide popular movie. (Photo by Nedim Grabovica/Xinhua)

SARAJEVO, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Bosnian capital Sarajevo made its cult WWII movie Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo back to audience by organizing a free screening in a drive-in movie theatre on Friday, a move marking the 50th anniversary of this once worldwide popular movie.

The Municipality Center organized the screening at the parking lot of the Kosevo football stadium as a part of its annual Days of Youth celebration, which traditionally lasts from May 2 to 9.

The movie narrative follows Vladimir Peric Valter, a World War II iconic member of the anti-fascist resistance movement, taking on Nazi occupation forces in Sarajevo.

First screened in April 1972, the movie has become one of the most watched movies in history, and has been screened in more than 40 countries across the world including China, where it was very popular in the 1970s.

Given the international popularity of the movie, Sarajevo dedicated a small museum to it. The museum was opened in April 2019, and has since become an important sight for Chinese tourists.

A photo of director Hajrudin Siba Krvavac is seen on the screen at the beginning of the movie Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo at a drive-in movie theatre in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on May 6, 2022. Bosnian capital Sarajevo made its cult WWII movie Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo back to audience by organizing a free screening in a drive-in movie theatre on Friday, a move marking the 50th anniversary of this once worldwide popular movie. (Photo by Nedim Grabovica/Xinhua)

People watch movie Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo at a drive-in movie theatre in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on May 6, 2022. Bosnian capital Sarajevo made its cult WWII movie Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo back to audience by organizing a free screening in a drive-in movie theatre on Friday, a move marking the 50th anniversary of this once worldwide popular movie. (Photo by Nedim Grabovica/Xinhua)

A scene from the movie Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo is seen at a drive-in movie theatre in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on May 6, 2022. Bosnian capital Sarajevo made its cult WWII movie Valter (Walter) Defends Sarajevo back to audience by organizing a free screening in a drive-in movie theatre on Friday, a move marking the 50th anniversary of this once worldwide popular movie. (Photo by Nedim Grabovica/Xinhua)