Bottlemen

On the outskirts of the Serbian capital Belgrade lies Vinča – one of the largest rubbish dumps in Europe. The former archaeological site is now a workplace for the community of "bottlemen" who collect plastic bottles to keep their heads above water. The documentary by Nemanja Vojinović portrays this group, which once came to the landfill driven by a need for money. But the more time they spend on these mountains of garbage, the more this abominable place becomes their home, which the director captures in images that are as captivating as they are disturbing. The film witnesses a fateful chapter as the impending privatisation of the landfill threatens to rob the community of its last glimmer of hope for a better future. (Zurich Film Festival)