True Story

In November 2021, we talked to Marianna Kaat, Estonian director and producer, about her upcoming film The Last Relic, which won the East Doc Doc Platform Award in 2018, Marianna explains how she combines her directing and producing work, and much more.

With documentary filmmaker Eszter Hajdú, an episode on Hungary’s restrictive government, normalized racism against the Roma community, and generational differences when speaking out on injustice.

Ivona Remundová talked to the Ukrainian producer Darya Bassel in October 2021 about her new film Outside (directed by Olya Zhurba), which will have a World Premiere at CPH:DOX 2022. It is a story of a street boy Roma, known as the Child of Maidan in 2014, who 5 years later got back on the streets with nothing in his pocket but a lighter and a knife. Darya also discusses the Ukrainian documentary scene, financing and Docudays UA, where she works as a Programmer and a Head of DOCU/PRO Industry Platform.

Producer Vlad Ketkovich talks about the current situation in Russia, his successful film Life of Ivanna (dir. Renato Borrayo Serrano), recent project Shaman VS Putin (dir. Beata Bubenec) and much more.

Russian filmmaker Ksenia Okhapkina discusses the beauty and challenges of making her films Come Back Free (2016) and Immortal (2019), and her upcoming project about three revolutionary women in Russia, The Manifesto of Tenderness.

When the War Comes (2018) invites us into the world of a burgeoning leader who passionately recruits young men to protect the Slovakian homeland. From who? From what? Nicole and director Jan Gebert discuss populism, xenophobia, the leadership and ideology behind a paramilitary organization in Slovakia. Watch When the War Comes on HBO GO/Max.

Producer and director Volia Chajkouskaya discusses her short film Common Language (2019) about a visit to her parents and asking them daring and tough questions.

Boris Mitić, documentary director, writer and producer from Serbia, discusses his absurdist and poetic exploration of "Nothing" in his collaborative film achievement In Praise of Nothing (2017), narrated by Iggy Pop. In Praise of Nothing is available on Vimeo.

Romanian director, editor and cinematographer Andrei Dascalescu discusses his personal film Holy Father about becoming parents and relationship to his long-lost father. Andrei also talks about how covid changed the release of the film and his upcoming project. Holy Father is available on HBO GO Europe.

In this episode we talk to Artistic Director & Co-founder of Dokufest Veton Nurkollari about beginnings, discoveries and curating for children.