Serbia Stages its Comeback on the International Film Scene
With support from USAID, three Serbia-based production companies – Art and Popcorn, Testament Films, and Dream Company – participated in the Marche du Film festival and Producers Network conference in Cannes in early 2008. Their shared objective: to promote Serbia as a top filming location to the 500 leading industry professionals gathered for the events.
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| Serbian film production companies at the Cannes film festival. From left to right: Miroslav Stanić, Cinebox 100; Tijana Konstatinović, International Network; Miroslav Mogorović, Art and Popcorn; Svetozar Cvetković, Testament Films; Lidija Kuručki, Cinebox 100; Ana Ilić, USAID Competitiveness Project; Tihomir Stanić, Blakan film; and, Aleksandra Zorić Krzić, USAID. |
Serbia’s thriving film industry hit its peak in the early 1980s, with Yugoslavia ranking as one of the top destinations for overseas film productions. In the past several years, the motion picture industry has increasingly looked to Eastern Europe as a destination for film production. The Serbian industry seized this opportunity to position itself as a unique and comparable location with capable talent and comprehensive film service resources. The USAID Competitiveness Project is promoting Serbia as a film destination and seeks to create an environment that will invite foreign film producers to explore Serbia as an alternative.
During the festival, Serbian production companies signed numerous contacts with U.S. and European producers. Deals were struck for the filming of a TV series (52 episodes) in partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. Negotiations for a series to be filmed in Serbia in co-production with Croatia, Austria, and Germany are underway. Serbian companies also held negotiations with companies from Germany, Austria, Hungary, and France on co-producing films, film distribution, and promotion of Serbian films. These three agreements are estimated to total more than 16 million Euros in investments to Serbia over the next few months.
In addition, Sugar Film Lab (U.S.) which specializes in 3-D animation has arranged a deal with the University of Nis Electronics Faculty to outsource some of its work to students, providing them with the opportunity to gain marketable skills and useful connections that will help Serbia to attract more high-value business in the future.
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