Bottlemen
Nemanja Vojinović
RT DOBRE NADE (Serbia), Set Sail Films (Serbia), Urgh! (Slovenia)
A documentary-western following the last days of a community of plastic bottle collectors, on the biggest Balkan landfill, once an archaeological site of the European Neolithic.
![sarajevoff-2021 - Bottlemen - Graphic materials [1380126] copy.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f2448dc0c0627144d4412a6/b2b7d1a2-08ca-42ce-8874-253149e440cb/sarajevoff-2021+-+Bottlemen+-+Graphic+materials+%5B1380126%5D+copy.jpg)
![sarajevoff-2021 - Bottlemen - Graphic materials [1380127] copy.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f2448dc0c0627144d4412a6/741cefa7-e094-468e-b9ad-6138aa0a9a94/sarajevoff-2021+-+Bottlemen+-+Graphic+materials+%5B1380127%5D+copy.jpg)
On top of a world known archeological site from the Neolithic Age, lies the biggest Balkan landfill, Vinča. Unsettled by inextinguishable fires, this toxic landscape is a workplace for a community of plastic bottle collectors, known as BOTTLEMEN. Through intimate portraits of its members, we follow this group, led by YANIKA, a former boxer. BOTTLEMEN arrive with dreams of earning big money, but the landfill becomes their new home and prison at the same time. We witness the ups and downs of this group and their eventual break up, which will leave YANIKA working all alone and distant from his family. Faced with the transformation of the landfill, the entire community of BOTTLEMEN is counting its last days.
Director’s biography: Nemanja Vojinović
/ IMDb
NEMANJA VOJINOVIĆ studied film directing at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, where he graduated with co-authors film WHERE’S NADJA, working together with colleagues from the class. With his short documentary film REALITY, FUCK OFF won awards at regional and international festivals. Feature documentary debut as a director and producer was with a documentary LAS DISTANCIAS (2017), where he followed emigrants from Cuba to United States. Currently working on his second feature-length documentary BOTTLEMEN. Member of Dok.Serbia – Association of Serbian documentary filmmakers.
Director’s statement
The first thing that comes to mind when I think about VINČA is its historical and cultural significance. Once a cradle of the European civilization, now it presents a mirror of contemporary lifestyle shaped by overconsumption. My first visit to the landfill was a mind-blowing experience: the cinematic scenery captured me immediately. It revoked scenes from MAD MAX, with hundreds of collectors piercing through the rain of seagulls and trash.
Through the story of YANIKA and his group, I present a dramatic ecological twist with a strong human element, but also address issues like overconsumption and absurdity of modern-day labor. I follow the destiny of the landfill, as plastic is one of the major problems, and its catastrophic environmental consequences are without a long-term solution.
This is an ecological western, in terms of style and cinematography, but also in the element of an ongoing threat - modernization which will forever change lives of the landfill and the community.
Producer’s biography: Marija Stojnić
/ IMDb
MARIJA is an award-winning director and producer and The New School (MA Media Studies and Film, 2014) in New York, and Academy of Arts (FTV directing, 2010) in Belgrade alumna. SPEAK SO I CAN SEE YOU - her feature length directorial debut, supported by Eurimages and DOHA Film Institute, had its World premiere in First Appearance Competition selection at IDFA 2019, and its US premiere at MoMA's DocFortnight 2020 in New York. She is a guest lecturer and a member of DokSerbia. Since September 2019, she's been a part of the collective behind SET SAIL FILMS.
Where are we at?
Total budget: 127.181, 00 EUR
Financing in place: 68.500, 00 EUR
Sales agent: /
Territories available: Worldwide
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Production company info
RT DOBRE NADE is a newly founded production company in Belgrade, Serbia. We are focused on contemporary stories with a strong social impact. While BOTTLEMEN is the company’s debut project, RT DOBRE NADE, together with production company ALL INCLUSIVE FILMS did a post-production for feature documentary film LAS DISTANCIAS.
Email: marijastojnic@gmail.com