From a school classroom in Srbac to an international stage in Philadelphia — that is the journey of the short film “Letter to Mother”, created by students of the Petar Kočić Secondary School Center, who received recognition from the Tesla Science Foundation at a conference marking the 170th anniversary of Nikola Tesla’s birth.
The young filmmakers from Srbac received an official award from the Tesla Science Foundation for their work, creativity and contribution to preserving Tesla’s legacy.
The film was created by Ognjen Miljević, Filip Lazić, Milica Vujičić, Vladan Grgec, Stefan Stanić, Sara Stanić and Miloš Dragomirović, under the mentorship of professor Novka Savić.
What lies behind the success
The film received strong applause from the audience in Philadelphia, where the students were formally recognized by the Tesla Science Foundation.
Behind the achievement is also a story of trust and of people who recognized that a school film deserved attention beyond the local community.
Bogdana Brezovac, President of the Serbian Educational and Cultural Society “Prosvjeta” in Germany and originally from Srbac, was among those who saw the project’s international potential.
She said the idea developed during conversations with Ognjen Miljević about marking Nikola Tesla’s major anniversary.
“The original idea was to premiere the film in Stuttgart during an evening dedicated to Nikola Tesla. However, after contacting the Tesla Science Foundation in Philadelphia, it became clear that the film had the potential for a much larger stage. We submitted it for the official conference programme and were selected. Symbolically, we found ourselves in America on Tesla’s birthday,” Brezovac told Glas Srpske.
Organizing the trip was far from simple. Visas, plane tickets, accommodation, coordination with hosts in the United States and constant communication with the young filmmakers’ parents required months of preparation.
Support from institutions and “Prosvjeta”
The wider network of SPKD “Prosvjeta” provided significant support to the project, particularly the Main Board of SPKD “Prosvjeta” in Banja Luka and SPKD “Prosvjeta” Austria.
German institutions also helped bring the film crew to Stuttgart, where the film had its first screening in early June.
Financial support was also necessary to enable at least two members of the young team, Ognjen Miljević and Filip Lazić, to travel to the United States.
According to Brezovac, institutions of Republika Srpska and local communities played an important role in securing that support.
In Philadelphia, the film was screened before numerous guests, including Serbian Ambassador to the United States Dragan Šutanovac, Serbian Consul General in New York Vladimir Božović and Ashley Redfern Neswick, Executive Director of the Tesla Science Foundation in the United States.
Filip Lazić attracted particular attention by appearing dressed as Nikola Tesla.
“Many people approached him to take photographs, commenting on how much he resembled Tesla. When the screening began, they suddenly realized that ‘Tesla’ had been among them the entire time, which created a very special atmosphere,” Brezovac said.
Not a traditional biographical film
Screenwriter Ognjen Miljević said the film was never intended to be a conventional biographical account of Nikola Tesla.
“The inspiration came from Tesla’s letter — whether real or imagined — addressed to his mother. We wanted to show that even great figures such as Tesla were ordinary people who grieved, suffered and searched for their place under the sun. The difference is that they achieved their dreams through enormous effort and work,” Miljević said.
One of the greatest challenges was condensing Tesla’s life into just three minutes.
“When you transfer an idea to the screen, the most important thing is to have a team that believes in your vision. I was fortunate to work with people like that, and perhaps that is the greatest value of this project,” he added.
Miljević admitted that the students were extremely nervous before the screening, which is why they kept their speech brief and allowed the film to tell the story.
“We were most anxious during the screening, and then the applause came, bringing enormous relief. The audience was impressed not only by the film but also by the fact that it had been created in such a small community,” he said.
A memorable experience in America
The visit to the United States left a strong impression on the young filmmakers.
One particularly emotional moment was passing the New Yorker Hotel, where Nikola Tesla spent the final years of his life, which the students described as a symbolic tribute to the man whose story they had tried to portray.
Miljević expressed special gratitude to Bogdana Brezovac for submitting the film to the conference and organizing much of the trip.
He also thanked Republika Srpska Finance Minister Zora Vidović for helping secure funds for the journey, as well as the “Milenijum” Association and Sanela Vidović for their support.
“Their belief in us was just as important as the journey itself,” Miljević said.
A personal turning point for Ognjen Miljević
For Miljević, the project also had a profound personal significance.
“While working on this project, I realized that I want to study film and pursue directing in the future. The film industry is extremely exciting, and I hope to have the opportunity to try different roles, master different filmmaking skills and one day become a successful and versatile director,” he said.
Miljević added that he is now preparing for university entrance exams and continuing to develop his filmmaking techniques.
“This is only the beginning for me,” he said.
Screening in Banja Luka
At the same time that the film was being presented in the United States, “Letter to Mother” was also screened in Banja Luka as part of an evening dedicated to Nikola Tesla.
The event was organized by the Tesla Science Association Banja Luka to mark the 170th anniversary of the great scientist’s birth.
While part of the creative team represented the film in Philadelphia, the students who remained at home presented it to the local audience.
In that way, the story of Tesla told through the perspective of young filmmakers from Srbac reached both an international and a local stage at the same time.
Source: Glas Srpske / glassrpske.com
Source: See Srpska
