Jana Pinjo, who starred in Angelina Jolie’s Blood and Honey in 2011, Snejana Bogičević (Bosnian hit sitcom “Crazy, Confused, Normal”) and Maja Izetbegović (“Recovery”, 2026 World Premiere in Karlovy Vary) headline the “Hedgehog in the Mist” series. (“Ježevi u magli”) is the project of Danis Tanovic, whose “No Man’s Land” won an Oscar in 2002 in the category of what was then called foreign language film.
Part of Berlinale’s Copro Series pitching and networking event, the event revolves around three best friends who deal with a myriad of problems, including dodgy finances, a domineering partner, and an unexpected huddle with a criminal organization.
Dunja, an unemployed teacher and single mother, is trying to rebuild her life while dealing with her abusive ex-husband, Kemo, who is in prison. Ira is bankrupt, in debt, and in an affair with her ex-husband, while Velma is trapped in an oppressive marriage and secretly desires to have an affair.
When a huge drug fortune falls into their hands, the trio decide to use it to stop Kemo’s surgery. A failed attempt to sell it gets them into even deeper trouble and tests their loyalty. Despite betrayal and loss, they forgive each other and choose a new start.
“I gathered a group of actors from Sarajevo, people I know, people I trust. And we started working together, exploring the story, looking for something authentic. ‘Hedgehog in the Mist’ was born out of that process: their experiences, their humor, their lives,” said Danis Tanovic, co-director with Nermin Hamzagić.
“It’s a thriller about three women who find a box that can either destroy or free them, but it’s essentially a darkly funny and unpredictable story of friendship, the kind that only Sarajevo can produce,” he added.
The rest of the cast includes Ermin Bravo, Alban Ukai, and Boris Ra.
It is produced by Pinjo and Bravo, who also starred in The Land of Blood and Honey, and produced by RealStage (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Agitprop (Bulgaria), Para Film & Theater (Norway), Brand Vision (Serbia) and BH Telecom (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Lara Grozdanic of Real Stage, who produces the series with Ishak Jarimam, said: “The overall situation for financing drama series remains difficult and has not improved significantly in recent years. While certain European frameworks such as Creative Europe MEDIA and Eurimages have expanded their focus to include series, this primarily represents soft financing rather than an increase in market-driven investment.”
“From a broader international perspective, the situation is even more complex. The global drama series market is currently characterized by a marked contraction in market money. Commercial investment, broadcaster deals and platform funding are significantly lower than five years ago. Risk-taking is reduced. Slightly, commissioning has slowed down and financiers have become more cautious, prioritizing proven formats and regions with strong incentive systems,” she points out. “In this context, co-production opportunities increasingly rely on multi-layered financing structures, while international markets and Co-production forums such as Copro Series, Cinelink, and Seriesly serve more as strategic platforms for long-term partnerships and financing arrangements than as venues for signing deals.”
This series received support from Creative Europe MEDIA funding – EU CoDevelopment. “While access to these international mechanisms remains essential for countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina with very limited domestic support systems, the overall situation reflects a tighter, more competitive and risk-averse market than in previous years,” he said.
RealStage, a civil society organization and interdisciplinary production company founded in 2015, operates as an independent nonprofit organization engaged in theater, film, and the interdisciplinary arts. Outstanding works include “The Sky Above Zenica” by Nanna Frank Müller and Zlatko Pranjić, “Pavilion” by Dino Mustafic and “Otter” by Srdjan Vretić.
