Sarajevo 24

In a remote Moldovan village, 42-year-old Elena defies social norms and family duties, embarking on a transformative journey to gain control of her life and pursue her dreams, even if it means leaving everything behind. “It is not just a documentary about one woman's journey; it is a testament to the human spirit and the quest for self-fulfilment,” producer Ion Gnatiuc tells BDE.

In conservative Bulgaria, a queer artist embarks on a journey of intimate home concerts before returning home to confront his past abuse by performing one final concert for his parents. “Our story is about all that can happen when you pursue your dreams against all fears, and society's opinion holding you back,” producer/director Kristina Nikolova tells BDE.

Polish master Tomasz Wolski returns with another archive-based doc, this time telling the story of Polish Jew Leopold Trepper, head of the legendary Soviet Red Orchestra and one of the most active spies of the WWII era. “The Big Chief will serve as a compelling narrative delving into the tumultuous and intricate era through which our fathers and grandparents navigated,” says producer Anna Gawlita of the Polish Kijora Film.

Romanian Paula Onet’s new feature doc project tells of Stefania who, after emerging from 15 years of self-induced amnesia, uses dance and imagination to reconnect with her past, with others, and especially with her mother. “I genuinely believe that art cures, art is therapeutic, art is healing,” producer Ada Solomon tells BDE. “And this is the vital element of this project - to engage the audience into a beautiful, almost magical journey of healing with the help of dance and collective movement.”

Hungarian producer Julianna Ugrin discusses her feature doc project Give Love Create, about the ground-breaking scientist and biotech entrepreneur Gyula Dékány, a man dedicated to discovering cures for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. “His journey is marked by a relentless drive that transcends societal expectations and personal boundaries,” Ugrin explains to BDE.

UXO stands for unexploded ordnance, of which 1.6 million tons were dumped in the Baltic Sea during the World Wars. These range from bombs and explosives to mustard gas, TNT, white phosphorus and arsenic. “This film offers a poetic exploration of an entirely unexplored and little-known ecological, historical, economic, and, in a certain sense, philosophical problem,” producer Dagne Vildziunaite tells BDE of her urgent new doc project.

In After the Storm Francesco Rufini looks at amber from an anthropological perspective, examining the everyday lives, struggles and dreams of the people who work with it, but also the rich culture and history of the Lithuanian region where it is found. “Moreover, it tells a story that connects us with nature and our planet, in which people are patiently waiting to take what is offered to them - instead of taking it by force,” producer Valdemar Albert Lovci tells BDE.

Ukrainian Lesia Diak follows commander Serhiy as he returns to his family in Kyiv from the Eastern frontline, even before Russia’s full-scale invasion of February 2022. He is deeply traumatised, but so is Diak, who has also had to deal with the break-up of her own relationship with a Ukrainian war veteran. And very soon, Serhiy turns the camera on her. “Dad’s Lullaby is a film about damage, the invisible damage of war, reflected in personal relationships,” the director tells BDE.

In Anna Rubi’s feature doc debut, a group of mothers and caregivers led by the redoubtable Magdi take on the Hungarian state to claim their statutory right to support in the form of care homes for the disabled, in the process securing a dignified future for their sons and daughters after they have passed away. “This is such a unique story. It's my duty to communicate it to an audience,” the director tells BDE. “In a way the story chose me.”

Eight new projects from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine will be presented during the CineLink Industry Days on Sunday August 18. Ji.hlava IDFF will also announce the next cohort of Emerging Producers 2025, and further reminds the doc industry of the August 15 deadline for European and East & Southeast Asian projects applying to Ji.hlava New Visions Forum & Market, as well as for filmmakers from the Caucasus who can have travel/accommodation covered at Ji.hlava.