FIRST SCENE OF MOVIE ABOUT DR. LAZIĆ FILMED

BELGRADE, AUGUST 16 /SRNA/ - The film crew gathered at the Kovilj monastery estate today to shoot the first scenes of the historical drama “Linija,” about Dr. Miodrag Lazić, who earned the gratitude of the Serb people in Republika Srpska and other regions affected by the wars of the 1990s through his professionalism, patriotism, and selflessness.

Ana Lazić, Dr. Lazić’s wife, who attended the start of filming, said that the day was extremely emotional for her and expressed pride that the project, which director Dragan Elčić had been working on for years, and who was a friend of her late husband, had finally begun.

“I am so sorry that he /Dr. Miodrag Lazić/ isn’t here to guide him. I am confident it will be a very good film because it is based on a story of humanity. Elčić knew my Laza very well; they planned this film together, so I do not doubt that it will reflect his character and everything he did while we were in Bosnia,” added Ana Lazić.

Producer Goran Ikonić said that preparations for the start of filming the movie lasted four years, roughly the same amount of time that the story’s hero, Dr. Lazić, spent fighting to save lives on the Sarajevo battlefield.

Ikonić added that the production intends to showcase, through the life and work of Dr. Lazić, all universal human values and the true face of the Serbian people, something rarely seen on the global stage or sometimes deliberately overlooked.

“Our goal is to highlight the humanity and dedication of all the doctors at the ‘Žica’ hospital, led by Chief Physician Pejić, through the life and work of Dr. Lazić,” Ikonić emphasized.

He emphasized that, from a production standpoint, this is certainly one of the most complex projects in domestic filmmaking, noting that the film will be shot at more than 30 locations, featuring 80 actors and over 2,000 extras.

According to him, the film has strong support from the Film Center of Serbia and has received direct backing from Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik.

Filming of the movie has also been supported, he said, by the Ministries of Defense, Culture, and Internal Affairs of Serbia, the Serbian Armed Forces, as well as local communities including East Sarajevo, Zvornik, Brčko, Niš, East New Sarajevo, East Ilidža, Višegrad, and a large number of businesses.

The film, which was blessed by His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, is inspired by “Diary of a War Surgeon” by Dr. Miodrag Lazić. It will be shot at more than 30 locations in Serbia and Republika Srpska.

In terms of production scale, the film will be one of the most complex projects in domestic cinema, featuring more than 80 actors, 2,200 extras, the use of military equipment, and the involvement of soldiers and police personnel.

The acting crew primarily comes from Republika Srpska, followed by Serbia, the United States, and France.

The film is expected to be completed by the first half of September 2026, with its premiere scheduled for September 15, 2026, on the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom, and National Flag in East New Sarajevo. This will be followed by screenings at the Sava Center in Belgrade on September 16 and in Niš on September 17.

The film has received support from the state institutions of Serbia and Republika Srpska, as well as numerous cities and municipalities.

Surgeon Miodrag Lazić /1955–2020/, who saved lives during the wars of the 1990s in the Republic of Serbian Krajina and Republika Srpska, passed away on April 14, 2020, in Niš.

In 1991, Lazić left his position as a surgeon in Niš and went to the then Republic of Serbian Krajina.

During the war in BiH, as a surgeon, he took part in the breakthrough of the corridor in June 1992. After that, he volunteered at the military hospital "Koran" in Pale, Republika Srpska.

He was one of the founders of the military hospital "Žica" in Blažuj, near Sarajevo, practically on the front line. He remained there for a full 40 months as the only surgeon in the area of what was then Serb Sarajevo, performing over 3,500 surgeries under general anesthesia.

Lazić wrote his autobiography titled Diary of a War Surgeon /Knin 1991 — Serb Sarajevo 1995/.

For his merits in saving the lives of Serbs and people of other nationalities, Serbian Patriarch Pavle awarded Miodrag Lazić the Order of Saint Sava.

Lazić also received the Order of the Cross of Mercy, awarded by Republika Srpska.

The Republic of Serbia posthumously decorated Dr. Miodrag Lazić with the Order of Karađorđe’s Star, First Class.