‘Baltic UXO,’ ‘The Big Chief’ Win Docu Talent From the East Awards

“Baltic UXO” and “The Big Chief” clinched awards on Sunday at Docu Talents From the East, held during the Sarajevo Film Festival’s CineLink Industry Days.

Eight documentaries from Central and Eastern Europe, scheduled for theatrical release in the next 12 months, were showcased at the event.

The Lithuanian-German-Latvian co-production “Baltic UXO,” directed by Agnė Dovydaitytė and Alexander Belinski, and produced by Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė, secured the top award, which included a $5,000 prize in collaboration with Current Time TV.

The documentary delves into the ecological ramifications of 1.6 million tons of munitions, including chemical weapons, dumped into the Baltic Sea and the North Sea following World War II.

The jury praised the film for its professionalism, compelling cinematography, and its ability to make a hidden issue a universally relevant story. They commended its potential impact on contemporary discussions about environmentalism, militarism, and political decisions made beyond public awareness.

The DAFilms.com Distribution Award, valued at 3,000 Euros in kind, went to “The Big Chief” by Polish director Tomasz Wolski, and produced by Anna Gawlita. This award facilitates an international VOD release on DAFilms.com across the Americas, Europe, and Asia for two years.

The film focuses on Leopold Trepper, a World War II espionage maestro, who endured a Kafkaesque ordeal in 1970s Poland. Known for his “Red Orchestra” fame, Trepper became a target for communists, lost his job, and was constantly monitored. His struggle for a passport was in vain, rendering him a burden to the USSR.

His plight attracted attention in France, where author Gilles Perrault and others urged him to emigrate. However, their efforts to document his story and pressurize Poland were consistently hampered by the secret police. French film crews faced footage confiscation and false espionage accusations.

Ultimately, Trepper was allowed to leave Poland after a hunger strike and rising international pressure, eventually settling in Israel.

The jury commented that while the project looks back at the past, it has all the makings of a modern thriller. They emphasized the film’s ability to introduce a relatively unknown but controversial figure through a rich trove of archival footage.

Since its inception in 2005, Docu Talents has been curated by the Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival, serving as a launchpad for various documentaries by both established and emerging directors. Works showcased have premiered at major film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Locarno, Rotterdam, and Sundance.

Marek Hovorka, director of Ji.hlava, highlighted that documentarians often pioneer the filmmaking landscape, capturing and presenting contemporary reflections. The current Docu Talents selection from Central and Eastern Europe tackles pressing themes like mental health, environmental issues, and the impact of the Ukraine war on neighboring states.

During the event, Ji.hlava also announced the Emerging Producers for 2025. This initiative supports European documentary film producers through networking, education, and promotional activities throughout the year.

Seventeen European producers will be joined by a Canadian producer, as Canada is the guest country for the 2025 Emerging Producers program. The program includes two workshops, one in Jihlava in October 2024, and another during the Berlinale in February 2025.

The Emerging Producers for 2025 are Vahagn Khachatryan (Armenia), Michal Sikora (Czech Republic), Danai Anagnostou (Finland), Elise Hug (France), Michael Kalb (Germany), Loránd Balázs Imre (Hungary), Zofia Kujawska (Poland), Daniel Pereira (Portugal), Elena Martín (Romania), Danilo Lazovic (Serbia), Monika Lošťáková (Slovakia), Zoran Dževerdanović (Slovenia), Miguel Eek Quesada (Spain), Ashley Smith (Sweden), Irene Muñoz Martin (Switzerland), Luiza Paiva (U.K.), Mariia Ponomarova (Ukraine/Netherlands), and Audrey-Ann Dupuis-Pierre (Canada).

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