This spring, Belgrade will once again become a center of contemporary documentary film thanks to the 19th International Documentary Film Festival Beldocs, taking place from May 20 to 26 across multiple venues throughout the city. Audiences can expect a diverse program offering an exciting overview of the latest trends in contemporary documentary filmmaking, with a focus on authors from Serbia and the region, alongside carefully selected international festival hits and award-winning documentaries, including a significant number of world and European premieres.
Through the presentation of the XR exhibition and the Play.docs program of the 19th Beldocs Festival, the Palace of Science once again brings carefully selected works that push the boundaries of documentary storytelling through technology that engages all the senses and opens space for deeper reflection, offering visitors a unique insight into intimate and complex human stories.
The VR zone of the Palace of Science Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence, open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on weekdays (except Mondays) and from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on weekends, offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience two immersive XR productions.
A Long Goodbye
In this animated, interactive VR experience, we walk in the shoes of Ida, a pianist living with dementia. As her reality fades and her familiar surroundings become increasingly undefined, interactions with objects bring her world back to life. Through a poetic narrative, we are invited to confront the emotional reflections of dementia and the relationship of two lovers who shared a life together.
Authors: Kate Voet, Victor Maes — Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands — 2025 — 30’
Language: English
Language: English
About the project: A Long Goodbye | Beldocs
Mirage
An interactive VR experience based on the personal and emotional story of a mother whose young daughter struggles with depression and anxiety. Since accepting struggles and help from others is often difficult for people suffering from depression and anxiety, Mirage reveals the silent and often misunderstood layers of these conditions, awakening deeper empathy and understanding within us. Created with the intention of encouraging dialogue and understanding, the author’s goal was to inspire the desire and strength to offer support to those facing mental health challenges.
Authors: Naima Karim, Aleena Hanif — Bangladesh, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia — 2025 — 8’
Language: English
Language: English
About the project: Mirage | Beldocs
At the Palace of Science Planetarium, from May 21–24 and 26. of October, 2025 May 26 at 6:30 PM, the immersive work UP will be screened.
UP is a short, immersive, parabolic story about determination, perseverance, and the thin line between pursuing a goal and losing oneself in the process. Sometimes the goal feels distant and uncertain, and its price higher than expected. In the rush toward success, blinded by ambition, we often forget that our actions affect more than just our own lives. After all, no one ever promised that climbing to the top would be easy.
Author: Agata Staszczuk — Poland — 2025 — 5’
Language: English
About the project: UP | Beldocs
At the S.E.F. Gallery of the Palace of Science, every day from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on weekdays (except Mondays) and from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on weekends, visitors will be able to experience three Play.Docs programs where storytelling meets interactivity: Play.Docs Showcase | Beldocs.
Sound Blok
Sound Blok is an interactive musical instrument that can not only be played, but also assembled. Visitors can create music by stacking blocks on top of one another, while the tones and type of synthesizer depend on the number and arrangement of the blocks. By experimenting with different configurations, participants can unleash their creativity and discover endless musical possibilities. Since there is no wrong way to play this instrument, every combination creates a new melody and a new experience. Designed for all curious minds regardless of musical background, Sound Blok invites visitors to become creators of their own music through play and exploration.
Author: Julia Makivic — United Kingdom — 2025
About the project: https://juliamakivic.com/Sound-Blok, https://www.beldocs.rs/product/zvucne-kocke/
True Lies
A board game in which players discover how media and interest groups shape public opinion and manipulate truth.
Author: Dušan Jovčić — Serbia — 2026 — Hectic Games
About the project: https://www.beldocs.rs/product/istinite-lazi/
Love vs. Pigs
A playful AR (augmented reality) experiment in the form of a shoot-’em-up game built from icons of housing, media, and consumerism, transforming public spaces into narrative experiences through interactive storytelling. By addressing misplaced care — where celebrities receive affection while the forgotten receive nothing — this augmented reality game playfully critiques consumerism.
Author: Abner Preis — Netherlands — 2026
About the project: https://www.beldocs.rs/product/ljubav-vs-svinje/