What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedGirl at War
Sara Novic · Book · 2016
If you loved Girl at War, start with Generation War (Philipp Kadelbach, 2013) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Girl at War across media.
What hooked you in Girl at War was the way the immense, brutal scale of civil conflict remains tethered to the intimate experience of childhood.
Films on the same thread
The Diary of Anne Frank
George Stevens · Film · 1959
Shares 2 threads with Girl at War: Resilience, Coming-of-Age.
Much like the protagonist of Girl at War, Anne Frank navigates the sudden, terrifying transition from ordinary life to a desperate fight for survival within a world turned hostile.
Pan's Labyrinth
Guillermo del Toro · Film · 2006
Shares a thread with Girl at War: Childhood Trauma.
If you connected with the way Girl at War uses a young girl's perspective to process the horrors of fascism, this film offers a similar, haunting blend of reality and trauma.
Quo Vadis, Aida?
Jasmila Žbanić · Film · 2021
Explores: Srebrenica Genocide, UN Peacekeepers, Interpreter's Perspective.
This film mirrors the specific regional tragedy found in Girl at War, focusing on the impossible moral positions individuals occupy when their home becomes a battleground for ethnic conflict.
Grave of the Fireflies
Film · 1988
Shares a thread with Girl at War: Coming-of-age.
This story echoes the devastating loss of innocence central to Girl at War, capturing the profound grief of children forced to fend for themselves amidst the wreckage of war.
Series on the same thread
Generation War
Philipp Kadelbach · Series · 2013
Explores: Loss of Innocence, The Horrors of War, Friendship Tested.
Like the characters in Girl at War, these friends face the erosion of their youthful optimism as the encroaching violence of war permanently alters their identities and moral compasses.
Derry Girls
Lisa McGee · Series · 2018
Explores: Female friendship, Adolescent awkwardness, The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
While lighter in tone, this show shares the setting of Girl at War, exploring how teenagers maintain their sense of self while living in the shadow of enduring political conflict.
Generation Kill
David Simon · Series · 2008
Explores: fog of war, moral ambiguity, military bureaucracy.
This series examines the fog of war with the same unflinching intensity found in Girl at War, highlighting how personal identity is tested when navigating complex, dangerous military environments.
Our Girl
Tony Grounds · Series · 2014
Explores: Female Empowerment, Comradeship, The Horrors of War.
If you appreciated the focus on female resilience in Girl at War, this series provides a similar look at how women define their duty and identity during active combat.
Podcasts on the same thread
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
This podcast explores the deep, historical wounds of identity and trauma that also underpin the narrative of Girl at War, tracing how past conflicts dictate our current reality.
You're Wrong About
Podcast
Explores: Misconceptions, Public Perception, Historical Analysis.
Just as Girl at War re-examines the personal history of a survivor, this podcast challenges public misconceptions about the past to uncover the human stories beneath larger historical narratives.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Girl at War based on a true story?
Girl at War is a work of fiction by Sara Novic. It depicts the experiences of a girl named Ana Juric living in Zagreb during the outbreak of the Yugoslav civil war in 1991, focusing on her transition from a carefree childhood to the realities of ethnic conflict.
Who is the main character in Girl at War?
The main character in Girl at War is Ana Juric. At the start of the story, she is a ten-year-old girl living in Zagreb who enjoys playing with her friend Luka and caring for her baby sister, Rahela, before the civil war changes her life.
What historical event is the setting for Girl at War?
Girl at War is set during the civil war in Yugoslavia that began in 1991. The narrative follows Ana Juric as her daily life in Zagreb is interrupted by the onset of ethnic cleansing, sniper fire, and air raid drills throughout the region.
Does Girl at War focus on Ana Juric's family?
Yes, Girl at War centers on Ana Juric and her immediate family. The story explores how the onset of war impacts her relationship with her father, whom she idolizes, and her responsibilities as a sister to her baby sibling, Rahela, amidst the violence in Yugoslavia.