Montenegro film showcase highlights diverse projects

Montenegro’s Country in Focus presentation at the 30th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival featured six projects in the New Visions Forum, focusing on how political and economic power influences personal freedom and shared history. The event, organized with the Film Centre of Montenegro, included collaborations with Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy, and aimed to strengthen international production networks for these projects.

Sara Stijović’s debut feature explores family dynamics

Sara Stijović’s debut film, The 13th Fish, stems from a real-life story about a woman who spent over 20 years unrecognized in her husband’s family. The film traces a composite character’s journey from marriage to motherhood and her eventual break from family expectations. Stijović is also working on Tiny Sofa, which previously won the DOK Leipzig Award and is seeking co-producers in Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia.

Montenegrin-Spanish co-production tackles waste issue

Matías Boero Lutz’s Nerva 3177 follows a dispute in an Andalusian community over a toxic-waste landfill, with waste transported from Montenegro’s Bijela. The film is an 80% Spanish and 20% Montenegrin co-production, with international sales handled by Reverso Films. The project is now seeking distribution and broadcasting partners as it begins festival screenings.

Mockumentary explores arranged marriages

Andrija Mugoša’s Catalogue is a mockumentary about the ethics of investigating arranged marriages between Albanian women and Montenegrin men. The film features a fictional director who buys a bride to fund his project. The project is in early development, with support from a Montenegrin women’s rights NGO and a focus on finding co-producers in countries with similar marriage traditions.

Film documents community fight for green space

Aleksa Bujišić’s It Still Grows Here follows residents of Ljubljana protecting a shared green space from development. The film will follow the area through four seasons, using photographs, documents, and archival material. With a budget of €160,000, the project is in development, with filming planned from June 2027 to June 2028, and a premiere target of December 2028.

Documentary examines fading historical monument

Mladen Ivanović’s Monument of Revolution explores the fate of a 1982 monument in Croatia that commemorated a regional uprising. The film follows a caretaker trying to preserve the site as it loses its historical meaning. The project won the DAE Award and is now seeking festival and television partners.

Archival film traces footballer’s career

Ivan Marinović’s Il Genio uses the career of Dejan Savićević to examine how football changed in Yugoslavia and Italy, reflecting broader political and economic shifts. The film combines archival audio interviews with match footage and period media. It received funding from Montenegro’s Film Centre and the IPA South Adriatic Fund, and is seeking co-producers and broadcasters for a September 2028 release.