26/03/2026
Now out on the YouTube channel, "Komarnica: The Wild That Remains" reveals the story of one of Europe’s last wild river canyons and the people determined to protect it.
Jelena Popović shares how her connection to Komarnica grew from a personal family bond into a deeper understanding of what was at stake, and how that journey became a call to action:
“Knowing Komarnica through my grandmother gave my relationship with this river and its canyon a multigenerational and deeply personal dimension. But that was only the beginning, the first connection that made me appreciate this land from a personal perspective.
The moment I realised that losing the canyon was not an option came after reading research papers about the richness of Komarnica, along with botanical studies that felt more like love letters than strictly scientific papers, shaped by the impact this canyon had on the botanists who studied it. Taking it all in, and realising that on the other side there was only silence, a silence that threatened to let the hydropower project slip from plans into reality, a strong urge emerged: to give our time and voice to the river and help her defend herself.
Another important moment came when we met Gigo, a kayaker, and Dejo, a local canyoneer, and felt their deep love for this river and their unshakable will to fight for it together. That was when the fear of not being strong enough gently and organically transformed into hope, and when I knew we had a chance, and that we would do everything in our power to protect Komarnica.”
Filmed by and supported by the Blue Heart of Europe and in collaboration with , , , the documentary follows scientists and local defenders working to document Komarnica’s extraordinary biodiversity before it is too late.
Watch the full film, sign the petition, and help protect Komarnica.
