Balkan film festivals in Serbia and Croatia spotlight documentaries and shorts

The sixth International Student Documentary Film Festival “Bistre reke” took place from July 16‑19 in Temska, at the foot of Stara Planina in Serbia. Over 30 documentary films from Serbia and abroad were shown, with workshops and discussions on nature protection and sustainable development. The festival partnered with Ball Corporation and the “Every Can Counts” program, presenting a special award made from recycled aluminum cans. An info day on July 17 highlighted financing opportunities for audiovisual projects through the MEDIA sub‑programme.

From July 21‑26, Croatia hosted the 16th edition of the Postira Seaside Film Festival on the island of Brač. Fifteen short films competed for the audience’s “Zlatna Srdelu” award, alongside a Midnight Shorts program in the Prja cove. The lineup featured international titles such as the French comedy “Please Hold”, Canadian short “Jazz Infernal”, Finnish comedy “Pantyhose”, and the Filipino film “Agapito”. The festival also showcased works by emerging Croatian directors and offered a platform for Eastern European cinema.