Filming of director Stefan Tomić’s debut feature film “Dividi” is underway in Gradiška and at several locations in Banja Luka, with production scheduled to continue until September 24.
The film is produced by Kozara Media and producer Bojan Vujinović, with financial support from the Republika Srpska Audio-Visual Center.
At its heart is a story about parenthood and sacrifice, the complex relationship between a father and son, unconditional love and the realities of life after the war.
“The film is about a father who wants to give his son a DVD player to make up for something that has made the boy angry with him. However, his financial situation and life circumstances make that process difficult. The idea came to me in a single sitting. I used some personal moments from my own life and named the characters after my parents and myself,” director Stefan Tomić said.
Most of the scenes are being filmed in Gradiška.
The cast includes Zlatan Vidović, Jovo Maksić and Aleksandar Stojković Piksi, while Ljubiša Savanović plays the leading role of the father.
“There is a wonderful conflict within him, between this closed circle in which we often find ourselves in our private lives — the more you work to provide something for your children, the more time with them you lose. Unfortunately, I think that is something many of us will recognize ourselves in,” Savanović said.
The entire story takes place over the course of a single day.
Director of photography Zoran Pilipović explained that this structure, combined with the film’s documentary-style visual approach, requires detailed preparation and careful planning.
“With this documentary approach to cinematography, detailed preparation and planning are essential because the scheduling of scenes over 11 days of filming is extremely important for maintaining the continuity of light from the beginning to the end of the film. That is a challenge for us,” Pilipović said.
The project is supported by the Republika Srpska Audio-Visual Center, whose director Anja Ilić emphasized the importance of supporting emerging filmmakers at a time when the film industry in Republika Srpska is still developing.
“This is particularly important now, while cinematography in Republika Srpska is still in its early stages. It is especially significant when young filmmakers and authors are developing, graduating from the Academy and achieving notable results even while they are still students through their student films. Their work has already been recognized both internationally and locally,” Ilić said.
Audiences are expected to have the opportunity to see “Dividi” next year, when screenings are planned across Republika Srpska and the wider region.
Source: RTRS
