South East Europe TV Exchanges | The long road through the Balkans' History

New SEETV Documentary

The long road through the Balkans' History

Itinerary of the roadtrip
following the Unity and
Brotherhood Motorway

Almost 20 years since the collapse of the old Yugoslavia, the time has finally come for the ultimate Balkan road movie… Two writers, a Croat and a Serb share the driving in a Yugo, the ultimate symbol of their common past, and drive it from one end to the other of the road once known as the "Highway of Brotherhood and Unity".

It is a journey through the past, present and future… from Slovenia to Macedonia, via Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia. They aim to look at their common past, find out how history has set them apart, ask where the present is leading them - and have a lot of fun while they are about it. As the Yugo dodges lorries, fast cars and queues at endless border controls Miljenko and Marko take a wry look at the state of the Balkans. They sing along to nostalgic Yugoslav favourites, comment on the radio news and above all stop to take to ask those who can tell them how they got there… and where the highway of history is taking them next.

The Brotherhood and Unity Motorway
between Lubjana and Zagreb in 1970

The (former) Brotherhood
and Unity Motorway in 2009

But, as you read this remember this…this trip has not taken place yet. On the road anything can happen, so this is just our plan. Who knows who else they might meet, or give a lift to, or fancy a trip to see along the way?

Stop in a high school
in Brcko, BiH

The question of history teaching is central for the democratisation of the Balkan countries and a long-lasting reconciliation process. The European integration of the Balkans also requires dialogue and integration of memories and histories.

This TV documentary aims at demonstrating, by confronting various points of view on the same historic events, that there is one historic interpretation, but many. Embracing the diversity of historical perceptions on a given event is a key element for the rebuilding of a common history, and should not be used to leverage divisions.

Meet the drivers

Miljenko Jergovic & Marko Vidojkovic

Miljenko Jergović (right), born in 1966, has established himself as a writer in both Bosnia & Hercegovina and Croatia and his stories and novels have been translated into more than 20 languages. Jergovic is also a journalist and has published a collection of articles in his acclaimed "Historijska čitanka" (A Reader in History, 1996). His most recent work, "Rabija i sedam meleka" (Rabija and the Seven Angels), became a bestseller in Bosnia & Hercegovina only few days after it was published.

Marko Vidojkovic (left), born in 1975, is a Serbian writer from Belgrade. He has published five novels so far. "Kandze" (The Claws) was the best selling Serbian novel in 2005 and the second most read book in Serbian libraries in 2005. For "Kandze", Vidojkovic was also awarded with the prestigious Golden Bestseller and Petar Kocic's Feather awards. His books have also been translated into English, German and Slovene. He also sings in a punk band called On the Run.

Check out pictures from the "making off" of the documentary:

Part 1 - Austria, Slovenia, Croatia

Part 2 - Croatia (Vukovar), Bosnia (Brcko)

Part 3 - Serbia (Belgrade, Presevo)

Part 4 - Macedonia (Skopje, Pelince)

Portraits along the road

Driving the Yugo

Production Team


Production: SEETV Executive Producer: Dusan Gajic Director: Zeljko Mirkovic Script: Zeljko Mirkovic, Dusan Gajic Camera: Miodrag Trajkovic, Nenad Spasojevic Duration TV version: 52 min Duration Film version: 85 min Format: HDV Expected release date: January 2010

This documentary is co-financed by European Commission’s DG Enlargement.

SCREENINGS

Screening at the Zagrebdox Festival.

The first screening of The long road took place in Zagreb on 1st March, during the Zagrebdox film festival. Other screenings:

Brussels, Balkan Trafic Festival, 10 April, 14:00.
Belgrade, Beldocs Film Festival,
16 April.

Director Zeljko Mirkovic
(with Microphone)
Writer Marko Vidojkovic (front)
Producer Dusan Gajic (back)

Miljenko Jergović (R)
Marko Vidojkovic (L)