As a supporter of documentaries that shed light on urgent contemporary issues and advocate for social justice, I find “The Sky Above Zenica” to be a powerful piece of work. The film’s focus on the toxic effects of unregulated production at the ArcelorMittal steel plant in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is both heart-wrenching and enlightening.
For decades, the tiny nation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has grappled with unique energy issues, exacerbated by corruption and environmental hazards. Bosnian filmmaker Zlatko Pranjic collaborated with Danish co-director Nanna Frank Moller to provide a disturbing portrayal of the harmful effects caused by a persistent polluter – the ArcelorMittal steel factory located near Zenica.
The film titled “The Sky Above Zenica” emerged victorious in Ji.hlava Film Festival’s Testimonies section, which showcases movies that tackle pressing modern concerns. This year, the festival displayed documentaries that enlighten and motivate about topics such as pollution and climate change, using Nixon-era archival findings and cutting-edge research on insects as their basis.
Following the collapse of communism in the ex-Yugoslavia, “capitalism with a predatory nature” swept into Bosnia and Herzegovina. ArcelorMittal, a leading global steel manufacturer, exemplified the harsh reality of profit-driven domination experienced by the people of the Balkan state.
According to their movie, the factory emits pollutants laced with toxins that far exceed approved limits by a factor of hundreds. However, regulatory bodies at both state and local levels seem unresponsive, even as they face an overwhelming tide of public demonstrations.
Pranjic chose to track a prominent protestor and members of a neighborhood environmental group for numerous years, with the aim of highlighting the tragic outcomes of manufacturing without oversight.
Pranjic shares, “Samir Lemes, who was my childhood buddy, is the central character. And it’s my hometown, Zenica, where I had to depart amidst the Bosnian war. Recently, a Guardian article caught my attention, revealing shocking pollution levels in the town and chronicling the efforts of a dedicated band of activists, led by professor Lemes, at Eko Forum. I suggested that Nanna accompany me on my journey back to Zenica, with the goal of creating a film about it.
The task at hand appeared challenging: the dominant steel corporation, with significant control over the region, seemed unyielding towards outside parties and showed minimal signs of cooperation.
Pranjic explains, “Our aim was to let the unheard voices of Zenica’s people be heard. We wanted to show the real faces behind the data labeled as ‘negative statistics.’ Our goal was to create a human connection with the people of Zenica. Simultaneously, we aimed to scrutinize the link between democracy and corporate influence in societies often referred to as transitional.
Upon returning to my hometown after a long absence of 25 years, I found it quite challenging to rekindle friendships from the past, feel welcomed again, navigate the evolving social norms and economic landscape, and adapt to the changing political climate.
Moller was determined to make the doc more than an unregulated pollution story, she says.
From the outset, our aim was to authentically depict the everyday lives of Zenica’s residents by spending time with them and getting to know them intimately. This was done so that the audience could step into the world of our main characters, forming a deeper emotional connection with their story.
Over a span of seven years, the most daunting task was maintaining the project, she notes. “Eko Forum’s activism primarily consisted of advocating for changes in the behavior and practices of influential institutions regarding the steel corporation. The transformation was gradual, and we could not predict the final outcome of our activism; however, given that we were working on a narrative where the audience is emotionally attached to the characters, we felt it necessary to remain committed and see it through until the conclusion of their journey.
The filmmakers also knew gaining access to the steel plant would be difficult at best.
According to Moller, our aim was to have the camera track Lemes’s path, so we sought permission to film wherever he went. Unfortunately, when it came to the steel plant, we were turned down multiple times.
As a cinema connoisseur, I found the steel company to be reminiscent of a mysterious, impenetrable fortress straight out of Franz Kafka’s “The Castle”. Yet, against all odds, by the end of our filming journey, we managed to capture an on-site representative from the steel plant on camera.
Putting together the mountain of material was just as daunting, say the filmmakers.
According to Moller, “The movie focuses on narrating the story via authentic character interactions and spontaneous scenes filmed as they unfold, reflecting the circumstances and emotional depths of the main characters.
The central aspect of the editing stage, as she explains, was tying the characters’ internal experiences to the dynamic societal and global political changes stemming from the conflict. Her task was to present information that one would typically encounter in a newspaper through dramatic sequences, which she found both difficult and rewarding when working on this film.
Raising the profile of protesters was a more achievable goal, say the filmmakers.
According to Moller, Lemer and Eko Forum had just emerged from a phase where they were involved in Zenica protests. However, they recognized that while such demonstrations might attract media attention and public interest, they weren’t bringing about real change – certainly not in their situation.
The movie subsequently chronicles the team adopting a new strategy, collecting proof for a potential lawsuit.
Due to clear indications of significant ecological rule breaches and numerous cancer cases within the community, the movement struggled due to a lack of concrete evidence and trustworthy, unbiased data sources in the documentation.
The insights gained from this film might prove beneficial to everyone, according to the filmmakers. As Moller puts it, “I firmly believe that our movie could inspire other civic initiatives on how to accumulate evidence to drive change, ultimately resulting in favorable outcomes.
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2024-11-05 15:17