Balkan Documentary Center, 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 in the Balkans and 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 works which challenge the status quo and hold those in power accountable, promoting transparency and democracy. 

The program is organized in three working modules. The first module will take place at the Czech Centre Bucharest, between April 8 – 12, during One World Romania International Documentary & Human Rights Film Festival, and is dedicated to project development. The second one will take place online and focus on the improvement of the participants’ pitching skills. The programme will culminate during Sofia Documental (September 2024) where the projects will be pitched in front of professionals, and six of them (three documentaries and three podcasts) will be awarded by the jury. 

The program is supported by Creative Europe Media.

Statement from the director of Balkan Documentary Center – 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 projects 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/Producer/Host: Alex Lungu
Country: Romania

Press-unbound
Director/Creator: Marius Daea
Production Company: Asociația 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
Country: Georgia

Ukrainian Insights: Beyond Disinformation 
Director/Creator: Valentyn Balahura 
Producer: Yuriy Honcharenko 
Production Company: Foundation for Democracy Assistance
Country: Ukraine 

DOCUMENTARY FILMS:

THE CAPTAIN AND THE CASPIAN SEA
Director: Turkan Huseyn
Producers: Emil Najafov, Turkan Huseyn
Production Company: Chinar Film
Country: Azerbaijan

SURVIVORS
Directors: Nina Paschalidou & Maria Louka
Producers: Mina Dreki, Iro Aidoni
Production Company: Marni Films
Country: Greece

A TRASH FULL OF GOLD
Director: Silva Khnkanosian
Producers: Anahit Zakaryan (Armenia), Stephane Jourdain (France)
Production Company: Picartix (Armenia)
Country: Armenia, France

The Forest Glade 
Directors: Oksana Savoskina & Oleksiy Nikulin 
Producer: Roman Negrienko
Production Company: hromadske.ua
Country: Ukraine

Language X
Director: Tanya Haurylchyk
Producer: Katerina Barushka
Production Company: Fundacja Skaryna
Country: Poland, Belarus, Germany

Lost and Found - Between Worlds
Director: Laurențiu Garofeanu
Producer: Laurențiu Garofeanu
Production Company: Mekanism Media
Country: Romania

80 Angry Journalists
Director: 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: Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan
Producers: 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