Home

The short film “Home”, created by the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, which was produced through the support of UNHCR, relates the life story of a refugee from Syria: what his reasons for leaving his home country are, his experiences in the road, why he decided to seek refuge in Serbia, and what challenges he faces today.

In memoriam – Vojin Dimitrijević (2013)

This short film was created by associates of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights during the first difficult year of Vojin’s departure. It was made so that we would always be able to hear his voice and that we could be reminded of his thoughts, wit, kindness and optimism – even in the most difficult of times.

“… I always considered, as did many others, that a person who is publicly active must in times which he/she considers dangerous and momentous do all in his/her might to stop or hinder the worst outcomes, using in the least common sense…” “… We are a strange country where the general public are more intelligent than the elite…” – Vojin Dimitrijević

Detention – ultima ratio? (2013)

The excessive use of the measure of detention is still a serious problem in Central and Eastern European countries. Its very purpose is completely misinterpreted. Why can we not find information on how much budget resources are wastefully spent on damages for unlawful detention? Why do individuals who have not committed serious crimes and have voluntarily reported themselves in to the police end up in detention? There is no debating that prisons are awful for all who end up there, but they are always better for prisoners than detainees – the uncertainty produced by the coming trial, very limited contact to the “outside world”, horrible living conditions, hopelessness caused by the inability to use ones time purposefully…

“…Those conditions, that prison, it is not fit for animals or people. It simply should not exist!…” Tadej Kurpea, Political Science graduate and ex-detainee.

Encounter/Susret (2011)

Uroš Vasić i Lena Stefanović, rođeni 1991, pitaju se zbog čega ih i dalje gnjave pričama iz perioda ratova u bivšoj Jugoslaviji? Zašto bi se sada, dvadeset godina kasnije, bavili time? Zašto je neophodno da njihova generacija to zna „…kad sa tim nemaju veze…“? Suočavanje sa prošlošću – zašto? Zato što je nekom ko živi do vas neko ubijen, ranjen, mučen, silovan ili nestao član porodice ili prijatelj, zato što su na mestu na kome živite možda živeli ljudi koji su bili prisiljeni da odu, zato što odgovorni za takve stvari žive među nama ili čak odlučuju o našoj budućnosti… Zato što društvo koje toleriše zločine i samo postaje zločinačko i podnošljivo samo najgorima među nama.

A man’s tale, part one, (2000)

Goran Milić has been a cab driver for thirty years, ten of which he has spent driving only by night – “regular man, regular story?” Why has he not been able to sleep a wink in years? Is he looking for the person responsible for his son’s death, or does he know him? How does such a “normal, harmless and understandable” hate destroy so many lives? And how does it enter through the same door it went out through? What does it look like when you pay for hatred in your own blood? 

A man’s tale, part two, (2000)

Goran Milić has been a cab driver for thirty years, ten of which he has spent driving only by night – “regular man, regular story?” Why has he not been able to sleep a wink in years? Is he looking for the person responsible for his son’s death, or does he know him? How does such a “normal, harmless and understandable” hate destroy so many lives? And how does it enter through the same door it went out through? What does it look like when you pay for hatred in your own blood? 

Somebody always bothers someone over something, part one, (2000)

Foreigners in the promised land, refugees in their own… Have not all of us, at least once in our lives, felt as though we were a surplus, or inadequate, not accepted…? Why do we forget this feeling so quickly? What is it that makes us look for someone to harass, even if only a little bit? Do we really have to be reprimanded to be ashamed of our actions? How did we come to this, that we need so little to step on someone’s dignity; and why do we stubbornly make it our goal to not let other people be?

Somebody always bothers someone over something, part two, (2000)

Foreigners in the promised land, refugees in their own… Have not all of us, at least once in our lives, felt as though we were a surplus, or inadequate, not accepted…? Why do we forget this feeling so quickly? What is it that makes us look for someone to harass, even if only a little bit? Do we really have to be reprimanded to be ashamed of our actions? How did we come to this, that we need so little to step on someone’s dignity; and why do we stubbornly make it our goal to not let other people be?

Tolerance Day, part one, (2000)

Andrija is an eight year old boy who dreams of becoming a football player. While watching a show on television he understood tolerance to be a bad word which leads to fights. How can one “exercise” tolerance when you are facing the Bambalić brothers, the ultimate source of fear in elementary school? What does it look like, through the eyes of a child, one a “Gypsies leave” sign appears on their house door? How do you exercise “tolerance day” if you start the exercise with sport chanting, cursing, hate…? How do you realize tolerance – like football – must be practiced daily?

Tolerance Day, part two, (2000)

Andrija is an eight year old boy who dreams of becoming a football player. While watching a show on television he understood tolerance to be a bad word which leads to fights. How can one “exercise” tolerance when you are facing the Bambalić brothers, the ultimate source of fear in elementary school? What does it look like, through the eyes of a child, one a “Gypsies leave” sign appears on their house door? How do you exercise “tolerance day” if you start the exercise with sport chanting, cursing, hate…? How do you realize tolerance – like football – must be practiced daily? 

All of us (2000)

The ratio of working age people to retired people in European countries is currently 3-1, and by some estimates it will be 1:1 in 2050! The estimates in Serbia are even worse – we are among the ten oldest countries in the world. Our oldest compatriots often battle numerous hardships and difficulties they face silently, avoiding bothering someone in their surroundings. Why are we not aware that we are hurting people when we look at them crossly or with contempt as if they are a nuisance, because we are so cruel as to think that older people would not want to be able to pay a hairdresser, dentist, taxi…? And why do we not consider that we all are aging, and that people in age are part of “all of us?” A decent monthly income is not the only condition for a better life. If more resources cannot be set aside for pensions, then all of us should certainly be able to give a smile or wait in line a tad bit longer or volunteer their place to the elderly. Let us not allow human solidarity and compassion to wane. They were always there when they were needed them, so why are we not there when they need us.

Tekija (2000)

What can you do when you do not have money for a summer holiday? You go to Tekija, flabbergast its citizens by coming because of Tekija, to help make it prettier and cleaner, name your broom, do something that you have never done before… and ultimately have a great time.