21/08/2026 - The Macedonian director discloses how his documentary portrays the experiences of survivors of the Kočani nightclub disaster without resorting to artistic recreation

(© Sarajevo Film Festival/Obala Art Centar)

Cineuropa talked to Golden Lion winner Milcho Manchevski about the making of his Sarajevo Documentary Competition title Good People, focused on the aftermath of the Pulse nightclub tragedy in Kočani, North Macedonia, on 16 March 2025, when 63 young people died and 193 were injured.

Cineuropa: Why did you feel the urge to tell this story? Why do you think an audience like Sarajevo’s was ideal for it?
Milcho Manchevski: Because this story had to be told, and the voices of the survivors and heroes had to be heard unfiltered and recorded. This is the least we could offer as a sign of respect and solidarity for the good people of Kočani. There was a lot of noise in the media, but very little of it was their direct experiences, emotions or thoughts. Very quickly, the tragedy was hijacked for political purposes.

This is not only a documentary, but also a document. I remember reading the Carnegie Commission report on the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 – the most powerful and important part was the appendix at the end that quoted the direct experiences of the survivors. This Kočani story needs to be heard as a warning, but also because we can learn something profound from young people who have looked death in the eye. Something happens to a person during a near-death experience; clarity takes over one’s mind. Their thoughts and feelings had to be recorded and shaped into an honest narrative for future generations, and I thought we might be able to provide that. When I heard about this horrific fire, my first thoughts were with the victims, survivors and heroes who went through something that none of us can fully fathom. We started filming only a month after the tragedy.

Have you ever thought about turning it into a fictional feature?
Absolutely not. I don’t believe in artistic recreation or interpretation, regardless of how scrupulous it may be. In general, the truth is too important to be subjected to our artistic interpretation. A historical examination, a work of journalistic reporting, an anthropological analysis – yes to all of those, but I don’t think anyone has the right to make a film “based on a true story”. I have turned down a number of projects that were meant to be just that.

Good People is an old-school documentary – no voice-over, no B-roll, no leading music… We decided to keep the film extremely ascetic, austere and minimalist in order to avoid the temptation to manipulate the story and, more importantly, to place the survivors and the heroes centre stage. We are making the viewer confront their words and their faces one to one, directly, with as little mediation as possible. Our job was to stay out of the way, to be invisible, to painstakingly weave the individual stories into a single one that provides the bigger picture.

How many of the people you interviewed were reluctant to talk, and how did you work with them to make them open up?
We didn’t encounter anyone who was reluctant to share their experiences. The people we met were glad to have their stories heard and recorded. Several thanked us after the filming. They knew my work and knew this was an honest, serious project, not a sensationalist piece. The organisation Support Kochani provided immense support to the community. I met them when I donated an art photograph for their charity auction. Many survivors and families are being helped by them. They were also our bridge to the community. Additionally, we volunteered to put people in touch with therapists.

What are you working on next?
I have actually made two films at the same time. This is unusual, but for years, I was blocked from working by [what I call] the film mafia and subjected to political persecution in my native North Macedonia. In 2020 and again in 2022, I reported corruption, rigged competitions, conflicts of interest and so on at the Film Agency. In retaliation, they blocked all of my previous films as well as the ones in progress. My whistleblowing was confirmed by the Anti-corruption Commission, the State Audit Office, Transparency International and the Ministry of Culture.

This did not stop the film mafia, who had partnered with corrupt politicians from the ruling party to execute a campaign of political retaliation that included government-controlled media and courts. I received international public support from the Venice Film Festival, Whistleblowing International, FIPRESCI, the professional associations of Italian filmmakers and so on. Eventually, I won two court cases against the Film Agency, and they had to allow me to work.

So, when their dam broke, I made not one, but two films at the same time – Good People (which I financed myself and whose proceeds will all go to Kočani) and Sister Brother Manhole Cover. The latter is a black comedy about the rich and the poor, about searching for love and family on the outskirts of society. We have just finished the film, a co-production involving North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, Italy and the UK. Rome-based Coccinelle Film Sales is handling the sales. It is premiering soon at a major film festival.