The first insert from the film “DARA IZ JASENOVAC”, a Serbian Oscar candidate, has been published

INSERT ANNOUNCES BEGINNING OF FILM DISTRIBUTION IN AMERICA ON FEBRUARY 5, AS WELL AS BELGRADE PREMIERE SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 22

The first insert from the film “GIFT FROM JASENOVAC”, directed by Predrag Antonijevic, was officially released today, marking the overture to the American distribution of the film, which begins in less than a month, on February 5, to be exact.

At the same time, the insert announces the premiere of the film in Belgrade, which is symbolically scheduled for April 22, the date which marks the 76th anniversary of the breakthrough of the last prisoners from the Jasenovac camp. After the Belgrade premiere on April 22, the film will be available in cinemas throughout Serbia.

Let us remind you, in December 2020, the distribution company “STUDIO 101” concluded an agreement on American rights for the film “GIFT FROM JASENOVAC”, which announced the beginning of the distribution of the film in America for February 5.

Then, a member of the Executive Board of Studio 101, Ron Burkle, said that he had extremely respected the work of director Predrag Antonijevic for years and added his observations about the film: “I was touched by an unknown story told about Dara from Jasenovac. I believe that the audience will appreciate the skill that told this convincing story through the eyes of a small child.”

Achievements that were chosen as the Serbian candidate for the 93rd AWARD OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FILM ART AND SCIENCE – OSCAR 2020-2021. year, as well as FOR THE GOLDEN GLOBE IN ALL CATEGORIES was shot on the basis of authentic testimonies of survivors of the camp, and is the first feature film on the theme of the Jasenovac camp.

The historical drama looks back to the period of 1942, when after the great Ustasha-German offensive on Kozara, the local population ended up en masse in concentration camps. Among them is twelve-year-old Dara with her mother and two brothers.

They know nothing about their father’s fate. The horror he will survive in the death camp will make him grow up overnight. Dara’s mother and older brother are killed, and the mission of her life becomes to save the life of her younger brother in inhumane conditions where children die every day from disease and hunger and where they are brutally killed.

The story “Gift from Jasenovac” is a depiction of the fate of only one child from Kozara for thousands and thousands of never more known and in reality more tragic fates.

The first part of the film was shot on the location of the village of Kolut near Sombor, where the building of an old brickyard with an administrative building was turned into the infamous Jasenovac camp, and the second part on the sites of Bela Crkva.

Leading roles in the film are played by actors from Republika Srpska Anja Stanic Ilic, Zlatan Vidovic, Nikolina Friganovic, Sandra Ljubojevic, Zeljko Erkic and Goran Jokic, while the cast from Serbia consists of Marko Janketic, Igor Djordjevic, Natasa Ninkovic, Bojan Zirovic, Jovo Maksic, Radoslav Rale. Milenković, Vuk Kostić, Tatjana Kecman, Petar Zekavica, Jelena Grujčić, Bogdan Bogdanović and many others.

The main role of the girl Dara was played by Biljana Čekić, and the other roles of the youngest prisoners were entrusted to Marko Pipić, Nikola Radulj, Rajko Lukač, Milica Janjić, Andjela Janjić, Angelina Docić, Luka, Jakov and Simon Šaranović. The scenography for the film is signed by Goran Joksimović.

The film was produced by Pradrag Antonijevic and Maksa Catovic, and the script comes “from the pen” of Natasa Drakulic.

The film was supported by the Government of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the Film Center of Serbia, and the distributor of the film is MCF MegaCom Film.