Taskovski Films has announced the acquisition for world sales rights of Dragana Jurišić’s feature doc debut The Balkan Cowboy. The film, which premiered at the Sarajevo Film Festival 2026, is produced by Ireland’s Invisible Thread Films in co-production with Croatia’s Restart, whose documentary Fiume o morte! by Igor Bezinović won the European Film Award for Best European Documentary in 2026. The Balkan Cowboy marks director Jurišić’s feature debut.
“Taskovski Films is heading to IDFA with an unconventional documentary by artist and filmmaker Dragana Jurišić that brings the mythology of the American Western into the heart of the Balkans,” the company writes. “Blending documentary, memory and Western mythology, The Balkan Cowboy offers a surprising and deeply human perspective on history, belonging and the divisions that continue to shape our lives.
The acquisition strengthens Taskovski’s catalogue of award-winning documentaries that includes IDFA Envision 2025 winner Past Future Continuous and The Netherlands’ official Oscar submission Paikar, among others.
The synopsis of The Balkan Cowboy reads how, travelling to Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jurišić sets out to uncover the story of cult Western filmmaker Hari Džekson. Bringing together former collaborators, family members and local residents, she invites the community to recreate the spirit of the Western, casting local people as cowboys and outcasts. What begins as a cinematic adventure becomes a personal journey through memories of a town before the war, the impact of conflict and the complicated relationship between past and present.
Irena Taskovski, Founder and CEO of Taskovski Films, comments: “Audiences will discover a Balkan Western unlike anything they have seen before. The Balkan Cowboy brings together the cinematic magic of the Western with the complex history of former Yugoslavia, exploring war, political divisions and shared memories. Although rooted in a different time and story, the film resonates strongly with the present, as students in Serbia and people elsewhere in Europe mobilise, challenge established power and demand change. Its message reaches far beyond the region, reminding us of the power of people to overcome divisions and come together.”
Anna Rodgers, producer of The Balkan Cowboy, adds: “Combining humour with a deeply personal exploration of director Dragana Jurišić’s Balkan roots and her life in Ireland, our new film The Balkan Cowboy tells a story that resonates far beyond the region. Its exploration of nationalism, identity and the forces that divide communities feels particularly timely, both in Ireland and across Europe. For over two decades Taskovski Films has championed bold, distinctive documentaries that challenge perspectives and reach audiences around the world. We are thrilled to partner with them in bringing this film to the world.”
