The 32nd European Film Festival Palić, one of the most prominent showcases of European cinema in Southeast Europe, will take place from July 19 to 23, 2025, in the picturesque towns of Palić and Subotica. Featuring more than 140 films across 16 curated sections, this year’s edition reaffirms the festival’s status as a vital cultural hub for filmmakers, cinephiles, and storytellers from across the continent.
SRBIJA NEWS – Among the most anticipated segments are three distinct programs: New Hungarian Film, New European Documentaries, and Eco Dox. Together, they reflect the festival’s commitment to cinematic excellence, social engagement, and environmental awareness.
New Hungarian Film will present six powerful titles from contemporary Hungarian directors, all screening at Eurocinema. These include:
- I Accidentally Wrote a Book by Nóra Lakos, a moving coming-of-age tale exploring the healing power of writing;
- I Was Born to Serve by Attila Moharos, an emotionally raw portrait of modern servitude;
- The Rebound by Csaba Vékes, a dark comedy about accidental fortune and failed fatherhood;
- But What About Tomy? by Attila Till, a story of redemption through sobriety and confronting familial pain;
- Tonight We Kill and Uncle Vanya – Bubble Waltz by Péter Fazakas, the former a clever whodunit in an actors’ retirement home, the latter a free-form Chekhovian reimagination.
These films explore everything from intergenerational trauma and addiction to moral ambiguity and artistic self-reflection—hallmarks of modern Hungarian storytelling.
New European Documentaries, curated by Igor Toholj and shown at the Lifka Art Cinema, delve into contemporary European society through the lens of its documentarians. Highlights include:
- The Social Trap: 5 Women Vs the Big 5 (France), a portrait of activism and resistance;
- An American Pastoral (France), exploring national identity and nostalgia;
- Moria Six (Germany), which exposes the failures of the European refugee system;
- Archetype (Serbia), an experimental reflection on cultural and political history;
- A Year of Endless Days (Croatia), a quiet, poetic look at rural isolation.
Complementing the social and personal themes of these documentaries, the Eco Dox section turns the camera toward nature, environmental crises, and global responsibility. Films include:
- Scars of Growth (Austria, Germany), revealing the ecological cost of industrialization;
- The Gardener, the Buddhist and the Spy (Norway, UK, Germany), an exploration of surveillance, nature, and philosophy;
- The Mountain Won’t Move (Slovenia, France, North Macedonia), examining resistance to environmental destruction;
- Fission (Germany), a provocative look at nuclear politics and personal history;
- The Faint Clatter of Birds (Poland), a meditative story on vanishing ecosystems.
All screenings in these three sections are free to the public—an effort by the festival to make European cinema as accessible as it is impactful.
Beyond its programming, the European Film Festival Palić continues to build bridges through culture. Supported by the Serbian Ministry of Culture, Creative Europe MEDIA, the City of Subotica, and long-standing partner Gorki List (which once again presents the Audience Award), the festival remains dedicated to authentic expression and connecting audiences with stories that matter.
As global challenges grow more complex, Palić’s curators and creators show that European cinema remains unafraid to ask difficult questions, stir emotions, and ignite meaningful conversations—on screen and beyond.
