Pavilion 6 was shot at the Zagreb Fair complex during the period of mass vaccination of citizens prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Snippets of intimate conversations in the vaccination line best describe the outline of the film. The camera guides the viewer through the vaccine queues, the vaccination area, and the waiting areas where you can listen in on the candid conversations of people who came to get their jab, as well as doctors, insurance people and other staff.

“This observational documentary reveals the sense of confoundedness and scepticism that characterised our shared experience of the pandemic. Serving as collective therapy for the post-COVID era, this humorous and human picture of a unique moment in time reveals the threads that bind us and reminds us of our humanity in the midst of unprecedented challenges. There is a world before the pandemic and one after it, while the film is a document of that transition”, says the description of Pavilion 6.

Lucie Kon, Commissioning Editor at BBC Storyville, BBC’s flagship documentary strand showcasing feature documentaries from across the world, has described Pavilion 6 as a rare example of a film from Eastern Europe that satisfies the BBC’s high content standards and, despite tackling a serious topic with a strong authorial signature, also communicates very well with a wider audience. Commenting on the topic, Kon said, “We all have post-COVID PTSD and don’t want to revisit that... but this film offers a truly compelling and highly entertaining slice of life during a very difficult time for almost everyone in the world. This is a film about finding joy again.”

Director of photography is Damian Nenadić, while Vanja Siruček edited the film. Pavilion 6 has been supported by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre and has participated at the Docu Rough Cut Boutique organised by the Balkan Documentary Institute and CineLink Sarajevo in 2023, scooping up two awards, for Best Pitch from the Al Jazeera Balkans and the DOK Leipzig Preview Award.

“This is the first Croatian film bought by the BBC, which will probably open the door for other Croatian titles that have garnered exceptional success across Europe and the world in recent years”, concludes producer Hrvoje Osvadić (15th Art Productions).

The viewers in Britain and Northern Ireland will have a chance to watch the film starting September 2024.