In Montenegro’s highlands, shepherd Gara and her daughter Nada get by tending to the goats and cows that graze the land. Every summer, the pair return to the pasture, respectfully cherishing the nature that surrounds them. Now, their traditional way of life is faced with a potential threat: this land they rely on may be taken over as a training ground for NATO troops. For those who live in the Balkan region, NATO inspires fear; its history is one of immense loss and devastation. The juxtaposition of the peacefulness of the mountain her people call Mother and the contrasting aggression of the military organization sees Gara become an unlikely leader of a campaign to unite her fellow farmers in defiance of the NATO plan. Her battle is about protecting both the land that is sacred to her and her daughter—the two things she holds closest to her heart.

For their tender, visually striking portrait of a community of women grappling with both internal and external structures of oppression, directors Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić took home Sundance's 2026 World Documentary Grand Jury Prize.