The Undamaged by Rožle Bregar, Matic Oblak, Miha Avguštin
Director: Rožle Bregar, Matic Oblak, Miha Avguštin
Country of origin: Slovenia
Country of Filming: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of, Montenegro, Slovenia
Film Language: Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, English, French, German, Macedonian, Serbian, Slovenian
Category: Documentary (budget over $5k USD)
The Balkans cradles Europe’s last wild rivers and supports abundant wildlife and healthy, intact ecosystems. These rivers are The Undamaged – clean, pristine, and undammed. With over 2,700 small and large hydro power plants planned or under construction in the Balkans, corruption and greed are destroying the last free-flowing rivers of Europe.
Follow the Balkan Rivers Tour, a crew of whitewater kayakers, filmers, photographers and friends who decided to stand up for the rivers, travelling from Slovenia to Albania for 36 days, kayaking 23 rivers in 6 countries to protest the dams and show the world the secret, wild rivers of the Balkans. The film honours everyday people and local activists who are fighting to defend rivers and aims to spread the word of the plight of these rivers.
Director Biography — Rožle Bregar, Matic Oblak, Miha Avguštin
The directors of The Undamaged dove into river conservation headfirst, joining Balkan Rivers Tour founder Rok Rozman on a month-long tour of the rivers of the Balkans when it was just a crazy idea. The all-Slovenian team consisting of Rožle Bregar, Matic Oblak and Miha Avguštin are at home with cameras in hand on mountain tops, river valleys and all environments in between. Creativity comes with the fresh air and they bring eyes full of energy and curiosity to all their documentary projects. The team had many exciting and interesting situations filming the Undamaged — from mafia encounters to wild whitewater moments — and all three directors/filmers have been integral team members on Balkan Rivers Tour 2 and 3. They have helped create the Balkan River Defence movement that is now the biggest direct river conservation action in Europe.
Director Statement
“We took on the challenge to produce a full-length documentary in true Balkan-style; no script, no plan, just lots of flow and footage thrown in a bag and then shaped in a film in a basement. When your currency is friends, things can be done locally and full-on, out of passion. This film is a tribute to all the river people in the region and is a tool to get people involved in river conservation.”
