At the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival, Holy Defiance, directed by Karla Jelić, won the Sarajevo Heart Award for Best Short Documentary Film.
The jury stated:
“This short and exceptionally powerful film bears witness to a courageous act of defiance against the rise of male misogyny. We honour a brave artist who stood alone against reactionary masses once again attempting to constrain women and silence their voices. The Sarajevo Heart Award for Best Short Documentary Film goes to Holy Defiance by Karla Jelić.”
Holy Defiance documents the eponymous artistic intervention by artist Arijana Lekić-Fridrih, created in response to public gatherings of men praying on squares across Croatia. Through an act of silence, the artist enters a public space dominated by misogynistic and patriarchal patterns, using her body and presence to question the position of women, the right to choice, and freedom from imposed social and religious norms.
The Sarajevo Heart Award for Holy Defiance is an important recognition not only for the film and its director Karla Jelić, but also for the artistic practice of Arijana Lekić-Fridrih, whose work persistently creates space for questioning social norms and power structures.
We are proud that Domino Association is part of this story — through producing Arijana Lekić-Fridrih’s artistic interventions, which served as the inspiration for this powerful documentary film. We are especially pleased to see this story of art, resistance, and the right to one’s own voice recognized at one of the most important film festivals in the region.
Congratulations to Karla Jelić, Arijana Lekić-Fridrih, and the entire creative and production team!
