Every November, Eastern Neighbours Film Festival (ENFF) presents the most recent and exciting films from East and South East Europe, mainly countries that are not yet members of the large EU family. 

The 7th edition starts today in The Hague, lasting till November 14. The program includes feature films, documentaries, short films and animations - most of the selected films are Dutch premieres. Each year the film program is accompanied by several side events, designed not only to educate but also to initiate new partnerships. The presence of prominent guests, actors, directors, producers and their direct communication with the audience makes ENFF a worthwhile event for every participant and cinemagoer. 

At this year’s ENFF four submitted films to the 88th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film will have their Dutch premiere. From Albania the film Bota, a playful contemporary story that stands as a metaphor of Albania’s path to democracy. From Bosnia-Herzegovina the film Our Everyday Life, a compelling film about the daily struggle of a Bosnian middle-class family. From FYROM, Honey Night, an impressive psychological drama that stands out through meticulous direction and nuanced performance, and from Serbia the film Enclave, an antiwar film based on the eternal and edifying story about forgiveness and love. 

Lets have a look at the Balkan films participating in the festival΄s different sections:

The Current Engaging Cinema presents recent films from East and South East Europe, usually non EU members.

Enclave by Goran Radovanovic (Serbia/Germany, 2015)

Our Everyday Life by Ines Tanovic (Bosnia-Herzegovina/Slovenia/Croatia, 2015)

Bota by Iris Elezi & Thomas Logoreci (Albania/Italy, 2014)

Three Windows and a Hanging by Isa Qosja (Kosovo*/Germany, 2014)

Honey Night by Ivo Trajkov (FYROM, 2015)

These Are The Rules by Ognjen Svilicic (Croatia/France/Serbia/FYROM, 2015)

No One΄s Child by Vuk Rsumovic (Serbia, 2014)

Documentaries Open Debates is screening films that measure the temperature of a society.

The Serbian Lawyer by Aleksandar Nikolic (Serbia/The Netherlands/England/Germany, 2014)

One Day in Sarajevo by Jasmila Zbanic (Bosnia-Herzegovina/Austria, 2015)

Through my Lens by Nefin Dinc (Turkey, 2015)

Soul Food Stories by Tonislav Hristov (Bulgaria, 2014)

Logbook_Serbistan by Zelimir Zilnik (Serbia, 2015)

The Focus: Between Rhetoric and Reality – 20 Years After Dayton program will be accompanied by a debate, where a panel gathering participants of different vocations, should outline some plausible answers to a number of questions: starting with the dramatic gap between popular expectations that marked the peace of 1995 and its results (or their absence) 20 years later. 

Shopping by Alen Driljevic (Bosnia-Herzegovina/Croatia, 2008, 15΄)

Diagnoses S.B.H. by Enes Zlatar (Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2008, 42΄)

Fuse by Pjer Zalica (Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2003)

I Like That Super Most the Best by Eva Kraljevic (Croatia, 2014, 42΄)

The Fuse: Or How I Burned Simon Bolivar by Igor Drljaca (Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2011, 9΄)

Naked Island by Tiha Gudac (Croatia, 2014)

Story About Mare by Igor Seregi (Croatia, 2013, 21΄)

Old Gold screens timeless hits from the region.

Rondo by Zvonimir Berkovic (Yugoslavia, 1966)

Others On Us focuses on the outsiders gaze that sometimes can  be even sharper.

The Sky Above Us by Marinus Groothof (Netherlands/Belgium/Serbia/Greece, 2015)

Picnic by Jure Pavlovic (Croatia, 2015, 13΄)

The Chicken by Una Gunjak (Croatia/Germany, 2014, 15΄)

The Srebenica: Revisited program will be followed by a debate commemorating 20 years of that event. Jean René RUEZ, arguably the most knowledgeable person for the subject of Srebrenica, for years headed the ICTY investigation team, and the talk with him will allow the audience to have an insight in different aspects of his personal experience, never addressed in courtrooms where this outstanding expert has featured so many times. 

Missing Times by Faysal Soysal (Turkey, 2015)

Summer in Srebrenica by Toon Westra (The Netherlands/Bosnia-Hertzegovina, 2011, 37΄)