Moscow IFF Competition: Montevideo

23-06-2011

Moscow IFF Competition: Montevideo

By Iulia Blaga

Montevideo, Taste of a Dream, the first feature directed by the popular actor Dragan Bjelogrlić, has been a big hit in Serbia: 515,000 viewers, (twice as many as Avatar) since its national premiere on December 20, 2010. Its success is due mainly to the story which recounts the circumstances during the First World Football Championship held in Montevideo, Uruguay (1930) when the national team of the Yugoslav Union finished in third place.

{mosimage}"It was the best achievement of our national team at the World Cup ever, and football is very important in Serbia. The fact that the Yugoslav Union faced obstacles in gathering the national team (only Serbian footballers participated), that it barely raised money for the trip, but managed to finish in third place aroused national pride. The reason we got involved in this project is that we wanted to leave a memento for future generations," Tijana Konstantinovic, the Managing Director of the company Intermedia Network (www.intermedianetwork.rs), told FNE.

Intermedia Network is the only producer of the 136 min feature whose budget including the local distribution campaign was 3.5 million euro. But Montevideo, Taste of a Dream is part of a much bigger plan. It will be followed by another feature as well as a TV series, also directed by Bjelogrlić. The reason of two features comes from the story line that could not be told in just one film.

{mosimage}"The idea for this project came from Zvonimir Simunec from Intermedia Network, who was inspired by the book Montevideo, Bog te video written by the prominent Serbian sports journalist Vladimir Stankovic. We started Montevideo, Taste of a Dream at the end of 2009, and we thought of a project that would includ two feature films, a TV series, a book, a documentary, a monograph and an exhibition, and we invited Dragan Bjelogrlić to be part of this project as film director," Tijana Konstantinovic said.

Dejan Petrovic is produced the film. The script was written by the well-known Serbian director Srđan Dragojević together with Ranko Božić. Goran Volarevic is the DOP.

Conceived for the younger generation (15-25 years old), the movie was appreciated also by the mature audience -- which explains how it achieved the third position in the Serbian box-office of all times.

"The Serbian audience liked it because after a very difficult period and many films about crisis, social problems, violence and crime, they wanted to see a film about honor, success, friendship, love..... and football," Konstantinovic added.

The project started with private resources but some official institutions got involved on the way. It was supported during production by the Serbian Ministry of Youth and Sports (www.mos.gov.rs), the Secretariat for Culture of the Belgrade City Assembly (www.beograd.rs) supported the postproduction and the Serbian Ministry of Culture (www.kultura.gov.rs) gave support to the distribution.

The cast includes young actors Milos Bikovic, Petar Strugar, Danina Jeftic, Nina Jankovic and Petar Vasic, and established actors Vojin Cetkovic, Nikola Djuricko, Nebojsa Ilic, Viktor Savic, Branimir Brstina, Milutin Karadzic and Sergej Trifunovic.

Dragan Bjelogrlić was born in 1963. He made his acting debut in 1978 in the feature Bosku Buha which became one of the most popular films and TV series of the year. In 1989 he graduated in acting from the FDU - Faculty of Dramatic Arts, Belgrad. Since then he has played in more than 60 films and TV series.

Montevideo, Taste of a Dream will have its international premiere at Moscow IFF. Soul Food Films (www.soulfoodfilms.com) is handling the international sales.

Production Information

Intermedia Network

Kneginje Ljubice 2

11000 Belgrade

Serbia

Phone/Fax: +381 11 303 6620

+381 11 303 6621

www.intermedianetwork.rs

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Credits

Director: Dragan Bjelogrlić

Script: Srđan Dragojević