Balkan Watchers 2024 selection revealed

Balkan Documentary Centre’s, in collaboration with One World Romania, reveals the slate of selected projects for the first edition of its new initiative – Balkan Watchers – Media Program for Documentary Films and Podcasts.

Balkan Watchers seeks to nurture the development of investigative and independent journalism on the Balkans, and in Central and Eastern Europe. By providing professional training and funding for investigative documentary and podcast projects, the initiative aims to support journalists in the creation of powerful work, which challenges the status quo and holds those in power accountable, work promoting transparency and democracy. The program supports documentary films, as well as podcasts.

The program is organized in three working modules. The first one would take place in Bucharest (April 2024) – during One World Romania, and is dedicated to project development. The second one would take place online and focus on the improvement of the participants’ pitching skills. The programme will culminate during the Sofia Documental (September 2024) where the projects would be pitched in front of professionals and six of them (three documentaries and three podcasts) would be awarded by the jury. The program is supported by Creative Europe Media.

Statement from director of Balkan Watchers – Martichka Bozhilova

We were utterly honoured and amazed by the overwhelming number and quality of projects, submitted to the first edition of Balkan Watchers. In most applications it was beautiful to observe the originality and boldness of the ideas and the singular creative views of the authors, who tackle topics of great importance relevant beyond the borders of their own countries, to contemporary society as a whole.

Our team would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who took the time to share their project with us. We salute and welcome all selected participants, who impressed us with their dedication for their work, which has taken many years of research and meticulous preparation.

We wish you all a fruitful journey of creativity during our three modules over the next six months and we are looking forward to meeting you in Bucharest and Sofia.

After careful and thorough consideration, the selected projects are:

PODCASTS:

Shadows in the Sunset: Unveiling Human Rights and Corruption in Western Balkans

Director/Creator: Teodora Cvetkovska
Producer: Demijan Hadji – Angelkovski

Production Company: Anekta

Country: North Macedonia

Untitled
Director/Creator: Marta Kasztelan
Country: Poland

Alex’s Job

Director/Host/Producer: Alex Lungu

Country: Romania

Press-unbound

Director/Creator: Marius Daea

Production Company: Asociatia Eurolife

Country: Romania

War: ON and OFF the air

Director/Creator: Irina Nedeva

Country: Bulgaria

BETA EUROPEANS

Director/Creator: Daniel Nenchev

Country: Bulgaria

EqualVoices

Director/Creator: Agnesa Qorri

Producer: Agnesa Qorri

Production Company: Maesta Film

Country: Kosovo

Taxi Taxi
Director/Creator: Vladic Ravich
Producer: Sophie Chkheidze

Production Company: NA

Country: Georgia

DOCUMENTARY FILMS:

THE CAPTAIN AND THE CASPIAN SEA

Director: Turkan Huseyn
Producer: Emil Najafov, Turkan Huseyn

Production Company: Chinar Film

Country: Azerbaijan

SURVIVORS

Directors: Nina Paschalidou & Maria Louka

Producer: Mina Dreki, Iro Aidoni

Production Company: Marni Films

Country: Greece

A TRASH FULL OF GOLD

Director: Silva Khnkanosian

Producer: Anahit Zakaryan (Armenia), Stephane Jourdain (France)

Production Company: Picartix production company (Armenia)

Country: Armenia, France

The Forest Glade
Director/Creator: Oksana Savoskina and Oleksiy Nikulin
Producer: Roman Negrienko
Production Company: hromadske.ua
Country: Ukraine

Language X
Director/Creator: Tanya Haurylchyk
Producer: Katerina Barushka

Production Company: Fundacja Skaryna

Country: Poland/Belarus/Germany

Lost and Found- Between Worlds
Director/Creator: Laurentiu Garofeanu
Producer: Laurentiu Garofeanu

Production Company: Mekanism Media

Country: Romania

80 Angry Journalists
Director/Creator: András Földes / Co-director: Anna Kis
Producer: Loránd Balázs Imre

Production Company: filmDOUGH (Productions UG)

Country: Hungary, Germany

Not in the business of making friends
Director/Creator: Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan
Producer: Elena Martin, Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan

Production Company: Manifest Film

Country: Romania