The Docville documentary festival in Leuven has decided to cancel a planned screening and debate surrounding a controversial lithium mine in Serbia. The decision, described as being made “with a bit of a heavy heart,” was influenced by the subject’s sensitivity. The festival’s director, Frank Moens, confirmed to VRT NWS that this marks the first time such a cancellation has occurred at the festival.
The cancellation applies to the debate titled “Ethical Mining: Is That Possible?” and the accompanying documentary, Not in My Country: Serbia’s Lithium Dilemma, directed by Peter Tom Jones of the KU Leuven Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals. The documentary explores the contentious development of a lithium mine in Serbia’s Jadar Valley.
The European Union sees lithium mining as crucial for the green transition, especially for producing batteries for electric vehicles. However, Europe faces challenges in mining lithium domestically, with Serbia identified as a prime location. Yet, proposals to establish lithium mines have provoked significant opposition due to concerns over environmental impacts, such as polluted water, noise, and threats to biodiversity.
Jones, who supports lithium mining as part of the green transition, highlights emotional and historical resistance within Serbia. Activists have voiced concerns about the mine’s potential to harm agriculture, water quality, and the local ecosystem, including threats to bees and other wildlife.
Moens explained the difficulty of organising a balanced debate on the topic, as some parties refused to participate if specific individuals were included, and there were disagreements over moderators. Without a debate, the festival opted not to show the documentary. This contrasts with last year’s successful discussion about a Swedish lithium mine, which included perspectives from the indigenous Sami community. Moens admitted, “We probably underestimated it a bit.”
Despite this setback, Docville still offers a wide range of documentaries, with the festival kicking off next Wednesday.
