The 2023 edition of Beldocs, the boutique Eastern European film festival focusing on non-fiction cinema, promises to be a vibrant celebration of diverse and unique cinematic works from across the globe. With 105 films on display, including nine world premieres and four international premieres, the festival has once again brought together a wide range of filmmakers from both renowned and emerging backgrounds. The festival is set to take place in Belgrade, Serbia, from May 10-17.
The festival’s opening film, Mladen Kovačević’s Another Spring, offers a powerful look at the 1972 smallpox epidemic in Yugoslavia. The festival will also feature a range of captivating films, including ThIIIrd, selected for Rotterdam, and Adieu Sauvage, selected for Cinema du reel. The International Competition also features Tizian Buchi’s Like an Island and Maria Kaur Bedi and Satindar Singh Bedi’s The Curse.
In addition to the competition sections, there are non-competitive sections such as Fireworks, Meteors, Prime Time and Breeze, which will showcase the latest works of renowned directors like Lav Diaz, João Pedro Rodrigues, Sergei Loznitsa, and Ruben Östlund.
The Serbian competitive program at Beldocs 2023 will feature 12 films. In addition to Another Spring, other notable entries include Invoked by last year’s Beldocs winners Luka Papić and Srđa Vučo, Balls by Gorana Jovanović, And the River Still Flows by Jelena Radenović, and A Field Guide to Coastal Fortifications by Tijana Petrović.
Furthermore, the Eurimages Audentia Award competition aims to support emerging female documentary filmmakers from Europe. This year’s competition includes Flotacija by Alesandra Tatić and Eluned Zoe Aiano, Bloom by Fanie Pelletier, and Look What You Made Me Do by Coco Schrijber. The competition provides a platform for these filmmakers to showcase their work and receive recognition for their talent and achievements.
With a rich and versatile festival program, the event promises to be a highlight of the cultural calendar for film enthusiasts and professionals alike. Attendees can expect to encounter unique cinematic works that provoke, inspire, and entertain, and to interact with filmmakers who are at the forefront of the latest trends and techniques in non-fiction cinema.
