Award-winning Spanish video journalist and documentary filmmaker Raul Gallego Abellán has released a new documentary about the ongoing student protests in Serbia. The film, titled “Wake Up, Serbia! Pumpaj: The Student Uprising | Point of No Return”, is now available on YouTube.
On his Instagram profile, Abellán wrote alongside the film’s teaser:
“While most Western youth wander between apathy and the far right, Serbian youth has risen – fighting for democracy and human rights.”
He described the movement as the longest and largest student strike in modern European history, raising the question: “Can a peaceful revolution still triumph in the 21st century?”
The documentary also explores why the protests remain overshadowed by global headlines and examines the role of lithium and international politics in shaping the struggle.
From War Zones to Serbian Streets
According to his official website, Abellán has dedicated his career to documenting underreported global events, often traveling to war zones, disaster sites, and centers of social unrest. His work has been featured by TVE, TV3, Associated Press Television News, Channel 4 UK, The Washington Post, The Intercept, and South China Morning Post.
After covering crises in Afghanistan, Burma, Thailand, and China, Abellán turned his lens to Serbia, spotlighting student resistance against corruption and political repression.
Three students from Novi Sad’s Academy of Arts and Belgrade’s Faculty of Dramatic Arts contributed to the production. The film also features Relja Stanojević, a student arrested during the first major protest after the November 1, 2024 roof collapse incident, which sparked mass mobilization.
Abellán’s Global Work
Abellán has previously directed acclaimed works such as:
- “Point of No Return” – a 20-minute documentary series
- “Fly on the Wall” – a 15-minute award-winning series for Al Jazeera Digital English
- “Cockroach” – a feature documentary on the 2019 Hong Kong protests, co-directed with Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, which won international recognition.
He is also the director and producer of “Pani: Women, Drugs and Kathmandu”, and has collaborated with the Global Wildlife Program on films about conservation, sustainable development, and anti-trafficking efforts.
Watch the Film
The full documentary “Wake Up, Serbia! Pumpaj: The Student Uprising | Point of No Return” is available on YouTube.
