In the remote highlands of Montenegro’s Sinjajevina plateau, Gara and her thirteen-year-old daughter Nada return to their ancestral pastures every summer, where they herd animals, gather herbs and live in symbiosis with the mountain they call “Mother.” But their fragile world comes under threat when the Montenegrin government advances plans for a NATO-backed military training ground in the heart of this protected landscape. Gara emerges as an unexpected leader in the fight to defend Sinjajevina but, as Nada grows into young womanhood, the encroaching violence on the land awakens questions about her past, her future and the cycle of harm within her family she hopes to break.

DIRECTORS’ STATEMENT

It was 2017 when we first discovered this place — a plateau at 2,000 meters above sea level, the second-largest pastureland in Europe — whose mysterious name can be interpreted as “Shining Heights” or “Mountain Ocean.” We met Gara and Nada at the very moment news arrived that this precious mountain, whose snows provide water for the entire region, was to be turned into a military shooting range. From our first encounter, it was clear that there was something more to them — that they were part of a larger story, reminiscent of epics from ancient times but rooted in a painful present. Their destiny carried the echo of Greek tragedy, and we felt compelled to share their lives and understand their paths. For more than seven years, we quietly explored, lived together and gathered elements that carry the power of this place and its people. We did not ask — we listened, until the story revealed itself. Gara and Nada represent mothers and daughters across centuries who, despite everything, have nurtured a culture of love. The film also reflects our contemplation of the deep connections between women and land, patriarchy and militarization, duty and love. 

— Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić 

BILJANA TUTOROV - DIRECTOR & PRODUCER  

Biljana Tutorov is a writer, director and producer of feature and documentary films, video works and performances focused on women-driven stories that examine contemporary political reality, the state of democracy and environmental protection. After graduating in Art History from Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium, Biljana studied Visual Anthropology at the École Pratique des Hautes Études in Paris and acting at the Jacques Lecoq School. She is the founder of Wake Up Films (www.wakeupfilms.net), an independent production company, as well as the founder and Head of CIRCLE (www.doccircle.me), an international training initiative supporting women and gender-expansive filmmakers. Biljana is an inaugural Diane Weyermann Fellow, an EAVE and EURODOC alumna, member of European Film Academy and an advisory board member of DAE Documentary Association of Europe. 

PETAR GLOMAZIĆ - DIRECTOR 

Petar Glomazić graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Belgrade in 1995, specializing in Aerospace Engineering, and worked for more than 25 years as an expert in civil aviation. In 1996, he also completed the Serbian Radio-Television School for documentary and began working as editor in their Educational Program Department. In 2014, he entered the world of film production as an associate producer at Wake Up Films in Novi Sad, and in 2021 he founded the production company Ardor Films. A passionate life-long mountain climber, Peter has extensively researched regional traditions, people and landscapes. He is a member of the Documentary Association of Europe (DAE), the International Documentary Association (IDA) and a co-founding member of the Save Sinjajevina Association. In 2023, he received the inaugural Diane Weyermann Fellowship championing three non-fiction projects worldwide. To Hold a Mountain is his debut feature documentary. 

Contact

For general enquiries please email rebeccarcelli@gmail.com

For festival bookings please email ella@metfilmstudio.com 

Festival Screenings

Sundance 2026 – Grand Jury Award: World Cinema Documentary

True/False 2026

Cinema du Réel 2026

CPH:DOX 2026

Visions du Réel 2026

Hot Docs 2026

Riverrun Film Festival 2026: Grand Jury Award; Best Director Award

Minneapolis St Pauls International Film Festival 2026: Jury Award Documentary

Full Frame Film Festival 2026

San Francisco International Film Festival 2026

Millennium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival 2026: Grand Prix Award

Bergwelten Film Festival Stans 2026

Sydney Film Festival 2026

UnderHill Fest 2026

DC/DOX Film Festival 2026

Open'er Festival 2026

Melbourne International Film Festival 2026

Sarajevo Film Festival 2026; Best Documentary Award

États Généraux du Film Documentaire Lussas 2026

Herceg Novi Film Festival 2026

MakeDox 2026

Five Lakes Film Festival 2026

Cinematik Film Festival 2026

Atlantic International Film Festival 2026

SPOT Film Festival 2026

Cinema Parallels 2026

Camden International Film Festival 2026

XI'AN SILK ROAD International Film Festival 2026

Mediteran Film Festival 2026

Lunenburg Doc Festival 2026

Sofia Documental 2026

Calgary International Film Festival 2026

BFI London Film Festival 2026

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival 2026

Portorož Film Festival 2026

Bergen International Film Festival 2026

Woodstock Film Festival 2026

Adelaide Film Festival 2026

IDFA 2026

Morelia International Film Festival (FICM) 2026

Cinemed 2026

Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival 2026

Rome Film Festival 2026

Astra Film Festival 2026

Ji.Hlava Documentary Film Festival 2026

FilmFestival Cottbus 2026

Camerimage 2026