Documentary / Crime
Slovakia / Czech Republic, 2024, 74 min

Director: Dominik Bari
Screenplay: Dominik Bari
Camera: Viktor Herrgott
Actors: Igor Kasala Jr., Oliver Orgován, Marián “Moidamz” Dzvoník, Peter Džubera, Vladislav Cucak, Iveta Paňáková, Marek Gurbaľ, Matej Stašík, Marian Jalč, Vladimír Kotus

Locations in the Košice Region: Regional Court Košice, Košice

Car Gangs is a Slovak documentary film by Košice-born director Dominik Bari, combining elements of true crime and investigative reporting. It reveals the background of a criminal group of car thieves, presenting the thefts through the eyes of the thieves themselves, their victims, as well as police investigators. The Košice Region was key for the production, and most scenes take place there.

The film blends documentary segments with dramatized reconstructions of real car thefts and police operations. The story focuses on actual cases from 2017–2018, creating a tense triangle between the actors from the criminal underworld and law enforcement. The trial of the car-theft gang was filmed directly at the Regional Court in Košice, featuring a 70-member group of extras. The police operations and the investigator who helped dismantle the gang were active in Košice and the surrounding area.

It is one of the most expensive Slovak documentaries, with a budget of nearly €300,000. It is also one of the first Slovak documentaries to be released by the streaming company HBO, airing in approximately 22 countries.