In the Land of Bears / V deželi medvedov
Country, year
Slovenia, 2012
genre
documentary
run time
72′
director
Nika Autor
languages
Slovenian, Bosnian
subtitles
Slovenian subtitles
synopsis
The construction industry in Slovenia, which had employed over 70,000 foreigners, imploded in 2010-11 and left in its path debt, halted construction projects and exploited and unpaid workers. Most foreign workers were from the territories of former Yugoslavia. While the state quietly observed the exploited, underpaid and degraded labourers, one side accumulated wealth while the other grew in anger and resistance. Due to the inaction of the responsible state bodies, self-organization of the workers was inevitable. They demanded better living conditions, the remuneration of unpaid wages, security contributions, equal opportunity etc. Armin, Aigul and Esad take us through particular stories and specific areas of work (activism and construction), which in turn become common and universal.
about the author
Nika Autor is a visual artist and film-maker whose work, spanning experimental videos, documentaries, photography, and installations, focuses on invisibilities in history and current affairs such as migration, workers’ rights, and memory politics. A member of the Newsreel Front collective, her work has been featured in film festivals and venus worldwide (Viennale, Venice Biennial, Toronto IFF, IFF Rotterdam, IDFA etc.).
filmography
2023 Newsreel 141 – Sunny Railways
2022 Newsreel 4517 – Across the Water Into Freedom
2022 Newsreel 2021 – Here I Have Picture
2022 Newsreel 670 – Red Forests
2017 Newsreel 63 – The Train of Shadows
2015 Newsreel 62 – Family and Worker
2012 In the Land of Bears
2011 Solidarity
2010 Postcards
