When Pigs Come
| Director | Biljana Tutorov |
| Writer | Biljana Tutorov |
| Camera | Orfeas Skutelis |
| Editor | Thomas Ernst, Ana Lagator, Natasa Pantic |
| Sound | Frano Homen |
| Cast | Dragoslava Aleksic, Natasa i Dusan Bosnjak, Lena Gordic, Svetlana Zekovic, Malina Vrbaski |
| Producer | Biljana Tutorov – Wake Up Films; Kinematograf, Al Jazeera Balkans, HRT – Croatian Television |
| Original Title | KADA DODJU SVINJE |
| Year | 2017 |
| Length | 72 min |
| Country | Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Subtitles | English |
| Section | DOCUMENTARIES OPEN DEBATES |
| Screening | Thursday 8 November | 21:45 hours | Filmhuis Den Haag Sunday 11 November | 18:30 hours | Filmhuis Den Haag |
A charming, well directed documentary tragi-comedy of a very special old lady. A retired teacher in Serbian province, devotedly monitors elections believing that all individuals could and should make a difference in building democracy. The screening on November 11 will be followed by Q&A with the director Biljana Tutorov. Dutch Premiere
Synopsis
Dragoslava has four TV sets, three grandchildren, two best friends, and one husband with whom she fights over the remote control. She has lived in five countries without ever moving from her flat in a small border town in Serbia. The media and politics seep into the family intimacy but she tackles it with humour and determination. She recounts tales from real life to the kids, instead of fairy tales, powered by her desire to create a future of hope. For her, each and every one of her actions, from morning till night, is an act of responsibility which sparks changes in the world. A multi-awarded documentary about never giving-up and making a difference in a society where many have lost the hope of using their voice.
Festivals & Awards (selection)
Sarajevo FF, 2017 – EDN Talent Grant Award | Sofia IFF, 2017 – Special Jury Mention | Visions du Reel – IFF Nyon, 2018 | Hot Docs, Toronto 2018 | Beldocs International Documentary Film Festival, 2018 – Best Editing
Director’s statement
I was looking for an intimist story that could deal with the issues which have troubled me over the past few years: the failures of the post-war era in the ex-Yugoslavia region; the abuse of the mechanisms of democracy to establish new dictatorships; the ever-rising confusion and discrepancy between current politics as portrayed in the media and the harsh reality we live in. The tendency is for ordinary people to obey orders and conform to mass opinion without a critical evaluation of the consequences of their actions and inaction. The heroine of the film, Dragoslava, is more authentic and responsible than our self-centered intellectual elite, which is disconnected from reality and failing to inspire deep and permanent social change. Through her character, I tried to discover where exactly the initial impulse of civilian and political action lies. What is the bare minimum that is necessary for the healing process to begin? In what way can this chain of events be stopped, how can future generations be offered a meaningful, more dignified life?