The Story
The Balkans – the very name rings with centuries of almost uninterrupted warfare – from the days of the Crusades and the Ottoman Empire, to more recent times and more recent conflicts. The Balkans are perhaps the least known part of Europe, and in a strange paradox that may well have been its saviour. The Balkans have some of the most pristine habitats that remain in Europe today. And where there is untouched habitat, the wildlife still survives. The WILD BALKANS takes us on an amazing journey into landscapes that seem more a part of the Middle Earth of “Lord of the Rings” than a region of Europe in the 21st Century.
This film looks at the place, the landscape and the living creatures that have lived their lives unchanged for centuries. And now that the wars have ceased, there is great hope that these last wilderness areas of Europe will continue to survive with little disturbance, and the fragile balance of nature will remain unchanged. As well as observing the environment, WILD BALKANS is a film of great hope for the future of one of Europe’s least disturbed regions.
2009
HD & 5.1
16:9
51min
German & English
Production Team
Written & Directed by Michael Schlamberger ● Photographed by Michael Schlamberger, Rolando Menardi ● Additional Camera Jiri Petr, Thomas Emrich, Gerhard Pock ● Editor Andrew Naylor ● Grafic & Animation Omer Sacic ● Music Andreas Fabianek ● Dubbing Edit Martin Rohrmoser ● Dubbing Mix Rupert Metznitzer ● Written by Walter Köhler, Jeremy Hogarth ● Narrated by Howard Nightingall ● Production Manager Anita Pfeffinger ● Producer Rita Schlamberger ● Executive Producer Walter Köhler ● Co-Producers Yvonne von Zeidler Nori, Udo Zimmermann
Thanks to Gregor Adler, Grigore Baboianu, Janos Szabolcs Botond Kiss, Titi Ceico, Danube Delta National Institute for Research Development, Ivan Djokovic, Heidi Frank-Liedler, Thomas Hablesreiter, Milojka Hrastnik, Vesko Jankovic, Renate Jantschitsch, Mark Kremzar, Goran Lekovic, Ivan Mališić, Beate Mittmann, Metropolitanate of Montenegro and Litorral, Tomo Pajovic, Doris Pollet-Kammerlander, Florian Raunig, Peter Sackl, Jasmin Sadikovic, Gerhard Schaumberger, Alfred Schwarzenberger, Ales Toman, Carmen Tomoiaga, Latinka Topalova, Biserka Vistica, Peter Witz, Giovanni Zaccaria, Boris Zmavc
Videos
Montenegro Trailer
Photo Gallery
Awards
Silver Lake Tourfilm Festival 2009
Serbia, September 2009, “White Acacia Award” in the category “Best Cinematography”
Telenatura 2009
Spain, September 2009, “Best Script“
ErasmusEuroMediaAward 2009 – Nomination
International Festival of Mountain Films 2009
Slovakia, October 2009, “The Prize for Nature Filming”
Kendal Mountain Film Festival
United Kingdom, November 2009, Best Mountain Environment Film
International Jahorina Eco&Tourfilm Festival 2009
Bosnia & Herzegovina, December 2009, “”GOLD GENTIANE” in the category “Ecology”
International Adventure Film Festival
India, November 2009, “Best Environment Award”
4th International Mountain Film Festival Domzale
Slovenia, May 2010, “Special Jury Mention”
Jury Report: A breath-taking and poetic film about the unknown natural beauty of the Balkans, breaking the negative stereotypes that this area is normally associated with.
U.S. International Film & Video Festival
USA, May 2010 “Certificate for Creative Excellence”
Document Art International Film festival
Romania, September 2010, “Award for Best Photography”
WILDLIFE VAASA FESTIVAL 2010
Finland, November 2010, Category Natural History Films (2nd Place)