About ZagrebDox Pro: Dox of War

ZAGREBDOX PRO is a five-day program that brings together documentary filmmakers in pursuit of excellence through analysis of their submitted projects, along with recommendations and suggestions for their further development. Additionally, the program offers case studies, group and individual discussions, masterclass lectures, special film screenings and round tables.

This year’s edition of ZagrebDox Pro: Dox of War is a niche project focusing on deeper research of the key question: How to film a war?

War events in Ukraine and the latest threats to global peace inspired us this year to turn to the topic documentary filmmakers have dealt with since the dawn of filmmaking. In the most different possible ways: from being present on the front lines, to creating intimate, poetic essays; from the harsh realism of observational to the metaphorical strength of animated documentaries. Documentary practice worldwide is teeming with powerful examples of such films. Unfortunately, the Croatian society and filmmakers are well familiar with this, since it is war that some of the finest among them focused on. Moreover: they were made during the war.

Speakers, experts and guests at Dox of War events organized by ZagrebDox Pro are some of the most significant European documentary filmmakers; namely those who gained prominence with their war films. The aim is to exchange opinions about the umbrella theme, but also about the specific participant projects. At carefully designed events, participants will exchange knowledge and experience with top experts from the field of documentary filmmaking as well as from other relevant fields.

ZagrebDox has achieved a network of collaborations in making efforts to provide as many possibilities for selected projects that are dealing with the complex theme of war, to participate in workshops, festivals and industry events. In cooperation with Aljazeera, one of the projects will be selected to participate Al Jazeera Documentary Industry Days in Sarajevo in September 2023. Continuing the collaboration with Doclisboa festival, one of the projects will also be selected to participate in their industry program Nebulae that will take place in October in Lisbon.

Another precious collaboration is realized with Close Up initiative – a tailor-made training and development program. Sigal Yehuda, the founder of Close Up enriches the ZagrebDox Pro programme with her masterclass, along with the Close Up cofounder and tutor John Appel and their special expert associate Hans Robert Eisenhauer, who are joining us as workshop mentors.

ZagrebDox PRO takes place free of charge and is supported by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the City of Zagreb and the Croatian Film Directors’ Guild.