▁art istic ▁film ▁in ▁world ▁cinema ". ▁Al issa ▁Simon ▁of ▁Vari ety ▁pra ised ▁the ▁film ▁emphas izing ▁that ▁it ▁calls ▁attention ▁to ▁" the ▁pl ight ▁of ▁children ▁born ▁of ▁ra pe ▁during ▁the ▁war ▁in ▁Bos nia - Her z egov ina ", ▁but ▁described ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁" well - mean ing ▁but ▁over done ▁mel od rama ". ▁▁ ▁F ede ora ▁p enn ed ▁a ▁g low ing ▁review ▁and ▁wrote ▁that ▁" the ▁film ▁succeed s ▁in ▁being ▁both ▁a ▁touch ing ▁personal ▁story ▁but ▁also ▁a ▁tren chant ▁comment ▁on ▁the ▁Bos n ian ▁war ". ▁On ▁AllMovie , ▁it ▁has ▁a ▁perfect ▁score ▁of ▁ 5 ▁out ▁of ▁ 5 ▁stars . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Santa ▁Barbara ▁International ▁Film ▁Festival , ▁film ▁critic ▁Dem i ▁M ellett ▁said : ▁" The ▁director ▁does ▁a ▁great ▁job ▁at ▁keeping ▁the ▁audience ▁ent hr alled ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁going ▁on ▁throughout ▁the ▁whole ▁film . ▁The ▁whole ▁movie ▁had ▁a ▁over t one ▁of ▁gray ▁which ▁showed ▁how ▁Al en ▁was ▁not ▁happy ▁because ▁he ▁couldn ’ t ▁figure ▁out ▁where ▁his ▁mother ▁was . ▁The ▁colors , ▁gray ▁sh ade ▁of ▁the ▁film , ▁and ▁editing ▁all ▁brought ▁it ▁together , ▁making ▁the ▁film ▁work ▁perfectly . ▁All ▁in ▁all , ▁I ▁really ▁enjoyed ▁this ▁film ▁and ▁would ▁suggest ▁it ▁to ▁anyone . ▁The ▁angles ▁and ▁music ▁choice ▁used ▁in ▁The ▁Ab andon ed ▁stood ▁out ▁to ▁me . ▁The