16th Human Rights Day

Recently, the urgency of raising environmental awareness and the dreadful implications of climate change has become a primary concern. With that in mind, this year’s Human Rights Day programme is championed by the critically acclaimed, gripping investigative documentary THE SKY ABOVE ZENICA, directed by Zlatko Pranjić and Nanna Frank Møller. 

 

Is it possible to greenwash an ecocide?  THE SKY ABOVE ZENICA explores this unsettling question, revealing how a polluting company can masquerade as being environmentally friendly while continuing harmful practices at its industrial plant. Despite receiving the support of seemingly unknowing city authorities and funding from European investors, the real impact of this industrial pollution on the environment and on the citizens of Zenica remains hidden behind messages of environmental care.

The livelihood of the people of Zenica has historically depended on the plant, adding layers of complexity to the situation. The film highlights the efforts of Eco Forum, a citizens' association led by activist Samir Lemeš, to expose the company’s facade. Lemeš, the dean of the Polytechnic Faculty and a professor of computer graphics at the University of Zenica, advocates tirelessly for transparency and accountability.

At the same time, amidst the ongoing pollution, initiatives like building a new bicycle path aim to rebrand Zenica as the Green City Project. This pursuit of a profitable future raises critical questions, however: For whom is this future intended? Who will live to see it given the current circumstances?

The screening takes place on Monday, 19 August, at the Cineplexx Sarajevo multiplex.

After the screening, journalist and director Robert Zuber moderates a panel discussion titled “Investing in Tomorrow: Who Owns the Future?” Both of the film’s directors will attend.

Synopsis: In the center of Europe, one of the world's most polluted cities has united its citizens in a common fight for a viable future. But money, power, and politics prove to be as toxic an opponent as the pollution that is threatening their lives.