FILM ABOUT DR. LAZIĆ COMPLETES FILMING AT KOVILJ MONASTERY

NOVI SAD, MARCH 13 /SRNA/ - The filming of the final scenes of the film "Linija" /"The Line"/, directed by Dragan Elčić, about the legendary war surgeon Miodrag Lazić, who saved lives in Republika Srpska during the wars of the 1990s, was completed today at the Kovilj Monastery on Fruška Gora.

The final clapboard of the film was symbolically marked by a gathering of all participants involved in the production. Among those present were the President of the Provincial Government Maja Gojković, the Head of the Republika Srpska Representation in Serbia Mlađen Cicović, and other guests.

Director and co-screenwriter Dragan Elčić said that filming of the movie had also begun in Kovilj and thanked the actors and the entire crew, who were driven by love and the desire to portray the dedication and sacrifice of Dr. Lazić.

Film director Slobodan Stojanović expressed satisfaction with the recorded material and emphasized that this was probably due to the noble mission and the great energy shared by the entire team.

"I believe we will get a good film that will satisfy not only our people but also the wider artistic community. The general assessment is that everything done so far has been of very high quality, according to the plan and the script, which had been developed carefully for five years," Stojanović told SRNA.

He stressed that "Linija" is conceived as an anti-war film, aiming to highlight the humanity of people, and expressed hope that audiences will feel that message.

Saša Miovčić from the production company ANST told SRNA that the film carries special symbolism because filming began seven months ago at Kovilj Monastery, where it has now also been completed.

"Kovilj Monastery was chosen because it is dedicated to the Holy Archangels Gabriel and Michael, who are fighters against evil. This symbolism is important because the film should show the good side of life, the humanity of people, and above all Dr. Lazić and his moral greatness, because he did not look at religion or nationality, he saved everyone. That is why he is a metaphor for our people," Miovčić said.

Miovčić assessed that a major film had been made and said the plan is for it to first be shown at film festivals, after which premieres for the wider public will be organized.

He thanked the institutions, businesses, and individuals from the country and the Serbian diaspora who supported the film, especially the Film Center of Serbia, Republika Srpska, and Milorad Dodik.

Miovčić also expressed regret that the cities of Banja Luka and Bijeljina did not recognize the importance of this film and did not participate in its production.

Head of the Republika Srpska Representation in Serbia, Mlađen Cicović, stated that the Office of the President of Republika Srpska supported the filming of this very important movie for the Serbian people and assessed that the film will contribute to promoting the truth about the struggle for the freedom of Serbs during the 1990s.

"The film is also important because it will properly depict the struggle of the Serbian people in and around Sarajevo and the sacrifices they made during and after the war, when after the Dayton Agreement they left primarily to preserve Republika Srpska," Cicović said.

Filming of the historical drama "Linija" began on August 16 last year. The film is inspired by motifs from Lazić's book "Diary of a War Surgeon", published by the News Agency of Republika Srpska SRNA, in which he describes his work during the wars of the 1990s in the Serbian wartime hospital "Žica" near Sarajevo, where he saved thousands of wounded people.

In mid-February, scenes for "Linija" were filmed in the Sarajevo-Romanija region, after which the film crew continued production in Serbia.

This is one of the larger regional film projects depicting wartime events and the humanity of Dr. Lazić, who passed away in Niš on April 14, 2020, due to complications caused by the coronavirus.

The film is directed by Dragan Elčić, the screenplay is written by Elčić and writer Željko Pržulj, while Aleksandar Lazić portrays Dr. Lazić.

More than 80 actors from Republika Srpska, Serbia, the United States, and France appear in the film, along with around 4,500 extras. Filming took place at more than 30 locations, using wartime equipment and involving soldiers and police officers.

The film is produced by "Ramonda Production" from Belgrade, with Goran Ikonić as producer. "Prvi kadar" Production from Istočno Sarajevo also plays a major role as the executive producer for Republika Srpska.

This anti-war saga concludes with the epic exodus of 130,000 Sarajevo Serbs, who 30 years ago left for an unknown future, carrying their dead with them.

After editing and post-production, the film is planned to be submitted to major international film festivals, followed by screenings in East Sarajevo, Belgrade, Niš, Banja Luka, and Novi Sad.