30/05/2025 - We delve a little deeper into the projects that emerged victorious in the latest edition of the Serbian festival’s industry strand

We outline the winning projects (see the news) from the latest edition of the Pitching Forum at the Beldocs International Documentary Film Festival (21-27 May), which were presented across two strands: Beldocs in Development and Beldocs in Progress.

Al Jazeera Balkans Award
Sentence from Birth - Diana Vlas, Daniela Miron (Moldova)
The documentary follows four women from various social backgrounds and serving sentences for different crimes in a penitentiary where each of them is raising a child. The seemingly ordinary family-style setting is a unique space where women care for their children in the prison system. After the child turns three, with the mother’s consent and the approval of the guardianship authority, the child is placed with a designated caregiver or specialised institution. The project is being produced by Daniela Vlas through her company, Ciresica Miron, and the team is currently at the beginning of editing, working on the first rough cut. They are looking for festivals and sales agents. The estimated release is set for February 2026.

Film Centre of Montenegro Award
My Name Is Enough - Marina Arzumanova, Ani Grigoryan (Armenia)
Through the story of one mother of two children, the film explores the culture of selective abortions that favours boys in rural Armenian areas. Many methods are employed to predict the child’s sex: besides ultrasound, which is not available to everybody, the woman’s neighbours and relatives employ folk traditions to predict her baby's sex – studying her gait and the shape of her belly, and counting the months according to ancient methods. Produced by Ani Ordyan for Order Film Production, the film is in late development, and is looking for co-producers, broadcasters and funding, eyeing a September 2026 release.

Forgrade Post-production Award, Ji.hlava New Visions Market Award
No Offence - Lucija Marčec (Croatia)
The film explores the challenges of coexistence between Croats and the Roma and Nepalese communities, who live without actually coming into contact in Međimurje County, in Croatia’s north. Over the course of a year, the film follows three Croatian grandmas named Ana, three young Roma football players and three Nepalese people working in the meat industry. The “us and them” narrative takes shape as an exploration of collective identity, following the cyclical rhythm of discrimination: those once seen as victims, like the Roma, now victimise the Nepalese. With humour and by breaking the fourth wall, the protagonists share their opinions on the filmmaking process, an invitation to empathise and rethink the typical discourse of segregation and belonging. Currently in production, staged by Ida Barac and Ema Mikolaci at the Zagreb Academy of Dramatic Arts, the project is still looking for funding, co-producers, broadcasters, sales agents and festivals, with a February 2026 release tentatively scheduled.

East Silver Caravan Award
In Passing - Gailė Garnelytė (Lithuania)
For over a decade, photographer Artūras Morozovas has documented people in vulnerable situations – from war-torn Ukraine to isolated communities in Lithuania. The film introduces several of those he met: Rita, a mother of three living with a disability; Danutė, who lives alone in the forest; soldiers Lisa and Jaška, killed by Russian forces; and Ivan, whose home was destroyed by a bomb. Though Artūras strives to remain objective, deep human connections emerge. At its core, it is about resilience, dignity and the power of human connection. Produced by Akvilė Žilionytė-Khan (Artišokai), the film is nearly complete and is currently seeking sales partners, broadcasters and festival opportunities.

Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival Networking Award, Impronta Films Consultancy Award
The Touch - Dragan Jovićević (Serbia)
Warm Film [+see also:
film review
film profile] director Dragan Jovićević returns with the story of a police dive squad, with three younger divers and one veteran in its focus. They have different backgrounds and motivations, but one thing unites them: the difficult experience of finding a drowned body. The narrative gradually builds towards the search for a person assumed to have gone missing in a remote mountain lake. The style is described as poetic, countering the cheap shock value typically imposed by media headlines. Vesna Grba, of Greifer, is producing, with the project currently in early development and looking for co-producers.

FIFDH Impact Award
Between Two Worlds - Ana Gurdiș, Doy-Romanta Dochitan (Moldova)
The film follows twins Doy and Ana-Maria, who lead vastly different lives. Doy, a non-binary photographer, embraces their identity, challenging norms in Moldova’s conservative society while documenting LGBTQ+ events. Despite their courage, Doy grapples with loneliness with the help of self-filmed journals. Ana-Maria, living in Italy, has chosen a traditional path, focused on her family and motherhood, with limited ties to their homeland. Through intimate footage and personal archives, the film explores their contrasting lives, revealing tensions, shared memories, and the search for identity and belonging. Gurdiș is also producing along with Max Carlan, of the MOLDOX Association. The project is in late production with an eye on release in December 2025, and is looking for sales agents.

MajorDocs Talent Award
Echoes - Anna Dziapshipa (Georgia)
Self-Portrait Along the Borderline director Anna Dziapshipa returns with another project based on archive material. This time, it’s found photos from the 1950s-1960s, revealing a surprising collaboration between Soviet Georgia and Vietnam. There were Georgian families who lived in Vietnam until the start of the war, and the war that would erupt in their homeland 30 years later stemmed from the same, wider geopolitical causes – the Cold War and its aftermath, imperialism and colonialism. The director combines these photos with footage she will film in Vietnamese cities where the Georgian families lived, merging anthropological and architectural histories in order to explore the concept of repairing. Currently in development and produced by Dziapshipa through Sakdoc, the project is in search of funding and is looking at an early 2027 release.

Dok Leipzig XR Award
The Ripple Effect - Ani Mardoyan (Armenia)
The Ripple Effect is an immersive virtual reality experience designed to foster empathy and emotional awareness in adolescents aged 13-16 by placing them inside a school bullying scenario. Users embody a shapeless form and face a pivotal decision – whether to intervene, participate or remain passive. Each choice influences the storyline and transforms the user’s avatar, symbolising the social and emotional consequences of their actions. Through role reversals and evolving metaphors, users confront how one moment can affect identity, relationships and future paths. The experience is followed by a discussion with a psychologist or sociologist to encourage reflection and integration. Produced by Vahan Khachatryan, it is expected to have a running time of 15-20 minutes.