“Russians and Serbs are united by immediacy”: Milosh Bikovich about working with Kusturitsa, living in Russia and women

- The Balkan Frontier is coming out . What was it like to make a movie about military actions that became part of your childhood (we are talking about conflicts in Yugoslavia)?

- Here you need to understand that the Russian audience will perceive it in one way, and the Serbian - in a completely different way. Because it is part of our story. This is our common scar, consciously and unconsciously, of the Serbian people.

If you make such a movie, I am sure that many people will say: "It was not so." Or they will say: “But I had to do this about this.” There it is so full of events that, I think, we need more than one film, but 50. And 50 films will not tell the truth either.

It is very important to talk about this topic. Films have such an opportunity - to transform history into public experience, the experience of the people. Then it turns even into wisdom.

It is important to shoot and process your story from the current point of view. To process so that, firstly, not to forget it, and secondly, that she return to those generations who do not know about it.

- You say, differently perceived by the Russian audience and the Serbian. And how will the western viewer look?

“If he looks at all.” I do not think that in the West they will gladly show this film. I do not know how they will react. I think, probably, there will be those who will say: “This part is Russian propaganda.” And others will say: “Wait a minute, then maybe everything is not the way we have been shown until now?”

For the past 30 years, Serbia has been not only under the blow of other countries and NATO bombs, but also under the blow of the information war. And against this war she had no way to defend herself. If against the bombing of NATO it was difficult to defend, but it was possible to hide, then it is impossible to hide from the information.

- What is the role of your hero?

- He works in the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs. This is one of those policemen who served in Kosovo. It was especially difficult for them, because they did not have military equipment, they were under attack.

When our soldiers under pressure and bombing left Kosovo, my character decided to stay. Further, in order not to reveal the plot, I will say only that it is a person who acted according to his conscience, with a very tragic, complicated fate.

- Emir Kusturica played a small role in the film. Did you interact in the actor-actor format at the site?

- I helped the director in the Serbian part of the film, so that it was convincing, as it turned out to be the only producer who spoke Serbian. Except, of course, my colleague Miodrag (actor Miodrag Radonich. - RT ).

I look - Kusturica had a couple of phrases there. He says the phrase, then turns: “Well, how are you satisfied?” Thank you, it is a great honor! The Emir showed his attitude towards history, towards Russia and towards his young colleagues. Just showed that a big man is simple.

- Would you like to star in his films?

- Yes. The Emir is one of such rare people who are a little ahead of time in scale.

We discussed projects. I do not want to say this, because it will be very loud. Maybe it will take time. We discussed and even agreed. We are already negotiating with third partners, since we want to make a picture in Russia. That is, to make a Russian-Serbian film.

- For the year 2020, it is planned to release the sequel to the sports drama “Ice”. In the first part you played one of the central roles. In the sequel, we will see your hero?

- I do not know. The producers did not contact me. So, if they plan to shoot, then, probably, without me. I think that even now they do not know it yet and decide.

• Frame from the film "Ice"
• © Shot from the film “Ice” (2017)

The guys who made “Ice” are my friends. Both Vrubel, Andryushchenko, and Vodorod are all as a company, and Bondarchuk as a kind of supervisor of all this (producers Mikhail Vrubel, Alexander Andryushchenko and Fyodor Bondarchuk. - RT ), and producer, and Oleg Trofim - the film's director. I really loved them all. Therefore, I am very glad that a continuation is being made, even if I am not there. I think this is one of the healthy trends in Russian cinema.

- Which of the Russian directors would you like to work with?

- I would like to repeat the work with Oleg Trofim. With Nikita Sergeevich (Mikhalkov. - RT ), of course. Maybe with Zvyagintsev.

I tried in different genres. But now I want to experience new frontiers, to make a more serious movie, more festival. I know that it is not so simple. But I have enough, it seems to me, over the years that I have been growing in new circumstances (and I proved it to myself). I think this is very important. It is very difficult for an actor to move from one role to another, including to a producer.

- You also have a director's experience - you shot a music video. Would you like to develop in this profession?

- I would not call my work a director. It will be a grudge for my friends - real directors. But yes, I would like to try. I experimented - this is not something children's work. I just proved that I can hold the camera in my hands so that it does not shake.

More need to select experience and education. First, you need to produce several important projects and prove that I pick up the subject right behind the camera, present it to the audience and pick up employees.

I do not do it all alone: ​​as a producer and co-producer, I watch. Only from the next project I will be the only producer. I'm talking about the film that we will shoot in Belgrade.

The working title is now “Hotel Belgrade”. This film, a romantic comedy, I hope, will best show Belgrade to the Russian audience. The picture, it seems to me, will double or triple the number of Russian tourists in Serbia.

- At what stage is the project "Tesla", the author and initiator of which you spoke?

- At the negotiation stage, because this scheme is not easy to build. I can definitely say that Serbian television is interested and connected, that we have Russian partners, we are still waiting for confirmation from a Hollywood partner.

This is a topic that interests everyone: the top government of Serbia and, I think, producers in the West. After all, Tesla led us to the second technological revolution.

- The project itself is planned as a movie or mini-series in the style of fantasy?

- Tesla's whole life is fiction and mysticism. Many do not need to invent. Tesla was considered all the time, perhaps, an illusionist, but behind him were the results. I think this is a good platform for building an interesting character in the movie.

• Frame from the film “Coma” with the participation of Milos Bikovich
• © Frame from the film "Coma" (2018)

- In 2019 there should be another film with your participation - “The Slave”. What is he talking about?

- “The Slave”, it seems to me, is a very successful comedy. I watched the movie and I know all these jokes - it's funny to me. I think the author has done a very good job.

The film is about a Moscow major, whose father does not know what to do with him, and decides to send him to a personality correction experiment. The hero somehow gets into the past, where he becomes a serf. I think a good movie turned out.

- Is the “golden youth” problem relevant for Serbia?

- No, our problem is that young people are leaving Serbia for other countries. Because of the situation after all these wars, she can not recover so quickly. So "golden youth" we have one.

- You are now very popular both in Russia and in Serbia. Where do you think you still have more fans?

- More in Russia. And I was surprised when in Kazakhstan I could not walk down the street: people wanted to take pictures with me, stopped me. For the first time in my life I came to a country where I had never been, and they recognized me there.

In Serbia, they simply know me longer - often shown on TV. In Russia, there are still people who have never come across to me.

It is very strange when I speak about myself and my popularity. I feel a little fool.

- Does the organization of film production differ in Russia and Serbia? Where do you work more comfortable?

- We are not equally organized. So this is our common trait. There are more and more good productions in Russia, and the film industry is developing faster than in Serbia.

Film business is an expensive sport. To make a movie, you need money. There is more money in Russia and the market too. Therefore, the movie is shot more often, people are more often mistaken and more often learn from their mistakes. Cinema develops faster here.

Our guys in Serbia serve Hollywood production. Sometimes these people have experience that Russians do not have. Because of this, we have the same level, which is slightly different in approach. I think that in 10-15 years Russia will develop even more.

- In 2018, Vladimir Putin presented you with the Pushkin Medal for "strengthening friendship and cooperation, fruitful work on the rapprochement and mutual enrichment of cultures of nations and nationalities." What does this award mean to you?

- First of all, it is a great honor and credit, which must be repaid in the future. But the "protection".

I think we have a lot in common. Serbia and Russia are like two branches of one tree. The closer we are to our roots, the closer we are to each other. And the closer we are to each other, the closer to our story. Because it is common.

For example, the Serbian prince - Saint Sawa - became a monk. He was inspired, shaped by his worldview and consciousness, a Russian monk.

The first Russian tsar Ivan the Great had a Serb grandmother, Anna Yaksic. She taught him to read the life of Saint Savva of Serbia from the royal chronicle. And Saint Savva of Serbia inspired the Russian tsar to arrange a kingdom according to the model of the Nemanić, our royal family.

The last Russian emperor entered World War I, defending Serbia, and ended with a revolution. For many Russians, at times when Russia was not their Fatherland, Serbia became their Fatherland, adopted them. For Russia, it was a tragedy, and for Serbia - salvation, because we lost a third of the population in the First World War. We accepted these people, and immediately they received the status that they had — I mean the White emigration in the 20th century. All allocated salaries.

This friendship throughout the millennium provides a very good foundation. I believe that international relations can only be arranged through such ties as exist in Serbia and in Russia. Real fraternal, cultural, spiritual ties. This is not the same thing as globalism when there is only interest. Interest leaves - enmity appears.

- What should we do so that these connections are not lost?

- Invest in culture and preserve history through culture. Culture is the front in which the human soul is protected. If you create projects that will talk about real value, which unites Europe and Russia, I think you can move towards progress in relations.

• © Scene from the film “The Balkan Frontier” (2019)

- Being in Russia, what do you most miss Serbian? By language, by kitchen?

- In the kitchen - no. According to the language either. I miss people and places. According to the weather. Come to Serbia - see. We have summer in March. Therefore, it is first.

Belgrade is so cozy for life! What we consider traffic jams in Moscow is a traffic light. In Belgrade, you can do a thousand things and go home for lunch. In Moscow, if something went to do, you stayed there.

- A little bit about Russian women. Argued that they are less emancipated than in the West. Don't you think so?

- This word (emancipation. - RT ) has different meanings. You think that you are fighting for your rights, you are now defending your rights, or maybe you just lose something.

I do not think that women in Russia are lower on the emancipation scale. And I do not think that a woman should follow some Western or Eastern examples of how to live. She doesn't have to. She should have the right.

But with this “to have the right” dictates begin: if a woman does not do this, she is unhappy that she did not take place. It is not true. Because successful life, we all know, is not big money, not an expensive car, not a career ... I do not think that a woman should follow some standards of emancipation. If you do not want, of course.

- What, in your opinion, unites Russians and Serbs? And what are the differences between these nations?

- Unites us worldview and value system. Even some Serbs and Russians unite more than Serbs and Russians within their own people. What unites us is the love for life, for fun, for contacts - spontaneity. Temperament. Some cultural spiritual heritage unites us.

What makes us different is that the Serb is waking up, going to another city, and if he turned the wrong way - he is already in Croatia, he will need a passport. Russian can fly on a plane for nine hours and go out in his own country. Therefore, a Serb has a slightly different attitude to life.

This difference gives rise to many others. Russians, for example, can quarrel. They quarreled, went to another district of Moscow or to another city and never met again. In Serbia, nowhere, just nowhere to swear! There is no space. Therefore, people quarrel and then return again.

Watch the full interview at RTD.