The 19th International Documentary Film Festival Beldocs is taking place in the Serbian capital Belgrade — one of the largest documentary film festivals in Europe and the Balkans. This year’s program features more than 100 documentary films, short films, VR projects and interactive formats in 15 program sections.
This year, Beldocs opened with the film Yugo Goes To America — a nostalgic road documentary about friendship and the iconic Yugoslav car Yugo.
A special place in the program is occupied by films from Ukraine and films related to war, emigration, identity and historical memory. Among them is The Last Prometheus of Donbas by Ukrainian director Anton Shtuka. The film tells about the city of Kurakhove and the workers of the power plant who are trying to keep it operating after the start of the war and under the constant threat of shelling. The Serbian premiere of the film is scheduled for May 23 at the Cultural Center of Belgrade, with a meeting with the director planned after the screening.
According to the Telegram channel “Serbian Economist,” the international competition program features the film Imago by director Déni Oumar Pitsaev. The film was shot in France and tells the story of the protagonist’s return to the Pankisi Gorge near the Chechen border, where a personal story is combined with the themes of memory, family, emigration and the search for one’s own place.
Another film in the international competition is Song Without a Home by director Rati Tsiteladze, a co-production of Georgia and the United States. The film tells the story of Adelina, a young trans woman from a Georgian village who, after a long period of isolation, leaves for Vienna in search of freedom and her own identity.
The program also includes Hell’s Army by director Richard Rowley, created with the participation of Ukraine, Syria, Lithuania, the United States and the Central African Republic. It is a documentary film about the activities of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin and the international network of structures connected with mercenary operations.
The Ukrainian theme is also represented by the film Militantropos by directors Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova and Simon Mozgovyi. According to the Beldocs description, the film captures the state of a person in the reality of war and shows how war changes people’s everyday lives. The Serbian premiere of the film will take place on May 25 at Art Cinema Kolarac.
A separate place in the program is occupied by Barbara Forever by director Brydie O’Connor — a documentary portrait of American filmmaker Barbara Hammer, one of the pioneers of experimental and independent cinema. The film is based on archival materials, audio interviews and the legacy of the author, who made more than 80 films.
For Belgrade, Beldocs is important not only as a cultural event, but also as part of the city’s creative economy. The festival attracts international directors, producers, film critics, distributors and viewers, strengthening the role of the Serbian capital as a regional center of documentary cinema.
Beldocs has been held in Belgrade since 2008 and over this time has become one of the key platforms for documentary cinema in Serbia and the Western Balkans.
The Beldocs program traditionally includes Serbian, international, short film and youth competition sections, as well as special screenings, retrospectives and thematic selections.
In 2026, the 19th edition of the festival is being held. According to the organizers and specialized film publications, the program includes more than 100 documentary films, short films, VR projects and interactive formats, among which 17 world, 4 European, 41 regional and 43 Serbian premieres have been announced. Documentary works from more than 20 countries are participating in the festival.
