Twice Born is a 2012 movie directed by Sergio Castellitto, based on a novel by Margaret Mazzantini. The movie stars Penelope Cruz and Emile Hirsch in the lead roles. The story revolves around a passionate love affair between a young couple, Gemma (Penelope Cruz) and Diego (Emile Hirsch), amidst the backdrop of the Bosnian War.
Gemma, an Italian professor, travels to Sarajevo with her teenage son, Pietro, to attend a conference. She is haunted by memories of the war, particularly the death of her lover, Diego, and the loss of her child, which was stillborn. The story shifts between the past and the present, as Gemma recalls the events of the war and her relationship with Diego.
In flashbacks, we see Gemma as a young woman who falls deeply in love with Diego, a dashing Bosnian soldier. The two share a passionate romance, but their relationship is complicated by the war, which tears them apart. Gemma becomes pregnant with their child, but the baby is stillborn, leaving Gemma devastated.
In the present day, Gemma reconnects with Diego's best friend, Gojco (Adnan Haskovic), who helps her to come to terms with her past and her grief. Gemma and Pietro also witness the horrors of the siege of Sarajevo firsthand, as they navigate the dangerous streets and try to escape the violence.
Ultimately, Twice Born is a tragic and tumultuous love story set against the brutal backdrop of war, which explores themes of loss, grief, and the power of love to endure even in the most challenging of circumstances.