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

Equal Voices
Director/Creator: Agnesa Qorri
Producer: Agnesa Qorri
Production Company: Maesta Film
Country: Kosovo

War: ON and OFF the air
Director/Creator: Irina Nedeva
Country: Bulgaria
BETA EUROPEANS
Director/Creator: Daniel Nenchev
Country: Bulgaria

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

Wave
Director: Mariam Chachia
Producer: Mariam Chachia
Production Company: OpyoDoc
Country: Georgia

ESCAPE

Director: Yevgenia Danilenko Country: Ukraine

•⁠ ⁠All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.