Beldocs Industry Days has unveiled the official selection of projects and participants for its 2025 edition, running May 21–25 in Belgrade, with an online component available to international guests. This year’s line-up reflects “the bold artistic vision and expanding reach of Beldocs,” welcoming over 40 projects and initiatives from the Western Balkans, Baltic States, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and beyond—with Poland as the 2025 Focus Country.
The Beldocs Pitching Forum will host 20 creative teams from across the region, joined by leading international producers, programmers, buyers, and decision-makers. For the first time, the Forum also includes one outstanding project from outside the geographical scope, marking a step toward greater global inclusion.
Beldocs in Development: Visionary Projects with Global Potential
This year’s co-production forum spotlights 11 director-producer teams presenting projects “that range from personal to political, poetic to provocative,” organisers write.
- Before Now, Later, by Karim Kassem (Lebanon)
- Cuba. Deprivation, by Staņislavs Tokalovs (Latvia, Cuba)
- Echoes, by Anna Dziapshipa (Georgia)
- End of Gravity, by Igor Zupe (Slovenia, Serbia, Sweden, USA)
- For Whom the Bells Toll?, by Denis Karam & Zlatko Ivanisević (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
- My Name is Enough, by Marina Arzumanova & Ani Grigoryan (Armenia)
- Phantom Limb, by Catherine Norman Tahirović (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- The Amateur, by Nadia Parfan (Ukraine)
- The Center of The World, by Marko Šantić (Croatia, Slovenia)
- The Story of the Wild Rose, by Liis Nimik & Kristen Aigro (Estonia, Sweden)
- The Touch, by Dragan Jovićević (Serbia)
Beldocs in Progress: Post-Production Projects Seek Strategic Partnerships
Nine projects in the Beldocs in Progress program will be presented to film funds, broadcasters, sales agents, and festival representatives as they seek support for finalization and distribution:
- Afraid of Beauty, by Jelena Medić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Between Two Worlds, by Ana Gurdiș & Doy-Romanta Dochitan (Moldova)
- Blue Safari, by Luka Papić (Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia)
- Comfort Limit, by Alexander Koridze (Georgia)
- Granddaughter, by Afag Yusifli (Azerbaijan)
- In Passing, by Gailė Garnelytė (Lithuania)
- No Offence, by Lucija Marčec (Croatia)
- Nothing For You to Change, by Đorđe Vojvodić (Montenegro, Serbia)
- Sentence From Birth, by Daniela Miron & Diana Vlas (Moldova)
Awards and Industry Recognition
Projects participating in the Beldocs Pitching Forum are eligible for a variety of awards, including:
- Best Project in Development (€2,000, Film Center of Montenegro)
- Best Project in Progress (€2,000, Al Jazeera Balkans)
- Forgrade Post-Production Award (post services worth €15,000)
- East Silver Caravan Award
- Thessaloniki Documentary Festival Networking Award
- DAE Talent Encouragement Award
- Ji.hlava New Visions Market Award
New partnerships with MajorDocs, FIFDH, and Imponta Films will also offer project awards and further international exposure.
XR Academy: Immersive Media at the Frontier
Returning for its second year, the Beldocs XR Academy will support four immersive storytelling teams developing VR and 360° projects through an intensive three-day lab with mentorship and networking:
- Anthrome, by Sylvia Rybak, Marco Winter & Ula Sowa Przybylska (Poland/Germany)
- CHOICES∞, by Au Matt (Poland/South Korea)
- Imagine Farewell Station, by Aristotelis Maragkos (Greece) – winner of the Beldocs XR Academy Award at TiDF Agora XR Lab
- The Ripple Effect, by Ani Mardoyan (Armenia)
One of these projects will receive the DOK Leipzig XR Award, recognizing excellence in immersive storytelling.
Balkan Young Talents: Nurturing the Next Generation
The Balkan Young Talents initiative, co-organized with AJB DOC, brings together eight emerging filmmakers from the Western Balkans for a year-long development process. Participants will attend workshops in Belgrade (May) and Sarajevo (September), culminating in public presentations of their films at Beldocs 2026. A new partnership with Blue Monochrome Post Production Studio introduces the BLUE ONE Award, offering a full post-production package for one standout participant.
A Growing Platform for Global Collaboration
“Now in its 18th edition, Beldocs Industry Days continues to grow as a key co-production platform in Southeast Europe, building bridges between regional talent and the global documentary market,” organisers underline. “The 2025 edition reflects this momentum—welcoming returning alumni, celebrating new voices, and spotlighting artistic risk-takers ready to reshape the future of nonfiction storytelling.”
For more information and accreditation details, visit: www.beldocs.rs.
