In 1993 Bill Carter was an aid-worker and documentary film maker living in Sarajevo, a city under siege from 18,000 Serbian troops firing artillery and mortar from the surrounding hills. Even though it was cut off from the rest of the world Carter saw the city as a sign of hope in the Balkan war because 'Sarajevans refused to be divided along ethnic lines.'
It was when he met up with U2 on 1993's ZOO TV Tour that a plan developed to show young people elsewhere in Europe what life was like in a besieged city on their continent. The result was regular satellite linkups from Sarajevo into the ZOO TV shows, when people living under siege told their story to the world.
Bill went on to direct the documentary 'Miss Sarajevo' a portrait of the city during the height of the siege: 'an alternative scene of artists, young people and those determined to live as normal a life as they could under the most difficult and dangerous conditions.' Produced by Bono, the documentary won the International Monitor Award, Golden Hugo, and the Maverick Director Award (Newport Beach Film Festival).
You can order a copy of the DVD
here.And see what Bill is up to in 2010
here.Last year, ahead of the show in Zagreb, we invited Bill to recall the
story of his friendship with U2 and the story of the band's friendship with the people of the Balkans.