To Hold a Mountain

In the highest reaches of the Sinjajevina plateau in Montenegro, Gara and her thirteen-year-old daughter Nada return every year to their family pastures. Living according to nature’s rhythm, they preserve the fragile continuity of tradition and memory – herding animals, gathering herbs, and dwelling in close communion with the mountain they call “Mother.” This order is disrupted when the government announces plans to establish a NATO-backed military training ground on the site. In the face of this threat, Gara emerges as a leader of the local community, becoming the public face of resistance against the militarization of the landscape. As Nada comes of age, she grapples with the experience of loss and questions of inherited trauma, violence against the land, and the repetition of family histories. Through attentive observation and a contemplative rhythm, the film intertwines ecological reflection with an intimate portrait of a mother and daughter, crafting a story about belonging, female resilience, and perseverance in the face of contemporary forms of domination.