We had the good fortune of connecting with Hadzi-Aleksandar Djurovic and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hadzi-Aleksandar, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I started my small film production back in 2009. when i was still studying film directing. I was on 3rd year and with founding company i started producing my short films. I had luck that company is branch of publishing house founded by my parents 20 years ago. So i didn’t have to bother with administration too much and we already had team. But anyway, as you know that for film production, every project is different, we hired various professionals on our multimedia projects in last 15 years. It started as service for my ideas, but later, i co-produced projects that are not mine as well. I hope that in the future i will be able to produce and support younger filmmakers.

What should our readers know about your business?
I rarely want to compare myself to others. Even when it is necessary. Because i think that in art, you can’t really compare stuff. You might like totally different things and styles. Also one artist can bring various art pieces and still we can love all of it, or none of it. So i like to keep going my way, and i am not trying to be like somebody else, nor i try not to be someone else. I think that topics that i choose for my films might be different than what my collegues or directors in region choose, and so far i think that audience like that. I never want to limit myself. I am proud of success that some of my works made. By the reacions of the viewers i saw that they connected with my films on emotional level, and i think that art is all about that. For me, that is achievement. Esspecially since today it is very hard to make independent arthouse films and reach the audience. I know that making feature fiction film is long process and hard road, but i chose that, and i like every mile of it. When one makes decision to be an artist, he must know that it is not easy way and that nothing can be done overnight. I started with short films, both fiction and documentaries, and between feature fiction films (so far i made 2) i did other forms. My second film “A CROSS IN THE DESERT” is most successful project so far, with 59 festival selections and 31 awards (until april 2024.). On this path, i had many challanges with every new project. You start from scratch, from zero and try to achive something great and make somehing memorable. I learned that i must not quit. If i believe that my idea is good, and i can make it eventually, i will keep on, and never back from it. Even when it seems hopeless. I truly believe that good stuff finds it’s way to be made in the end. I said to myself, maybe i will make just 5,6,7 films in my career, who knows. Maybe more. But i will never agree to make something that i am not proud of and that i would be ashamed to sign as author. Also, i know that every film is made just once, with compromises, so i give my best at that moment to make it as close to my inintial idea, as possible.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I must admit that i don’t like my hometown too much. There are some lovely parts and spots, but overall i think it’s original beauty is unfortunately ruined. I am more into nature and countryside landscapes. But since i can’t take my guests to village, i would try to organize probably small tours in the city or trip outside the city. I prefere short weekend trips, 2-3 days somewhere. Serbia has a lot to offer, with beautiful various places (hills, mountains, lakes, caves, rivers…) both traditional and modern. And i think that foreigners falls in love with that. We have wonderful historical sites, old montasteries and churches, villages and rural places, that looks like scenery for some period film. Serbians are good hosts and food is very tasty. We also have intereting various music scene, so i might take my guest on some local jams on weekend. I don’t drink, but i can recommend national dring called “rakija” (kind of brandy) for anyone who likes to try traditional local specialty food and drinks.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First of all it’s my family. My parents gave me all support that i needed in order to achive my dreams. My father is economist, my mother is writer. When i told them that i want to enroll art university and study directing, they asked me if i know what that choise brings along? I said i knew.My father had private insurance company, and in that moment he knew that i won’t inherit the family business, and i am sure that he wasn’t happy knowing that, but he was happy to support my dream and choice. In years after my graduation, he was producer on all my films, and now, years after he sold insurance company and focused only on managing publishing house, he is producer of my films as well. So we still share a dream and family company evolved in something new. Beside my parents, i will never forget all the professors, since my elementary school, and later in highschool as well as university that recognized my talent and interest in art, rather than some other classes, and that supported me in pursuiting my wish to become artist. I had really great mentors and people that let me be myself when i needed to.

Website: https://vimeo.com/aleksandrijafilm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleksandrijafilm/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandrijafilm/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/aleksandrijafilm

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3195629/

Image Credits
Milena Popovic, Savo Tufegdzic, Bojana Krstic

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