Arpa Film Festival 2015 interviews with film directors
The dramatic feature film, Off, its director Predrag Stojic, and screenwriter Marko Krstic have received Arpa Film Festival 2015 category nominations for Best Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay respectively.
Predrag Stojic, director
Amid the illegal street-racing scene known as, “Serbian Roulette,” Off is a dark family drama that delves into the tumultuous relationship between two brothers who are diametrical opposites. Petar Lubarda, a young medical student, leads a secret life as one of the best drivers of Serbian Roulette, racing through downtown Belgrade streets at night. His older brother Mihajlo, once a top driver of Roulette himself, is now a renowned and esteemed anesthesiologist.
Marko Krstic, screenwriter
Petar is wild, arrogant and overconfident, while Mihajlo is serious and focused. Driven to protect his younger brother, Mihajlo returns to the dangerous life of Serbian Roulette. Then ultimately, finds himself trapped in a maze of blackmail, conspiracy and revenge, when a former childhood friend and now a corrupt police inspector, threatens to incarcerate Petar for the deadly crash he had supposedly done.
We experience this thrilling, emotional drama through Mihajlo’s self reflections, emotions and narrated thoughts. Arpa International Film Festival will screen Off on November 15 at 3:45 p.m.
Predrag Stojic is a director with Annunaki production, a Serbian motion pictures and film company. Sharon Swainson, writer for Arpa Film Festival, asked Stojic the same six questions that she posed to all of the filmmakers whose work is being screened at the 18th Annual Arpa International Film Festival. Stojic’s answers are below.
Why did you choose to make your film?
STOJIC: The ambition to make a story that deals with fundamental human issues that concern us all, and at the same time remain faithful to the genre, offering an interesting thriller plot.
Name a moment during shooting that made you proud.
STOJIC: I am very proud of spectacular shots of Belgrade which we filmed from a helicopter. Off is the first Serbian film which treated Belgrade in this way. It is our tribute to the capital of Serbia.
Was there a moment that became a creative breakthrough while making your film?
STOJIC: Several of them, mostly at the shooting. You know, shooting is a creative, dynamic process in which you learn a lot, especially from the actors.
During the creative process, was there a moment when you let go of certainties and just ran with it, allowing creativity to do its thing?
STOJIC: Yes, there were a lot of moments that were not there in the script that were added during the shooting. One of them is the scene at the racing track, where one of the characters improvised and feed a horse an apple. It turned out great, and gave a whole new metaphorical meaning to the scene.
Since an artist is truly never finished, is there anything that you would like to do differently or add to your film?
STOJIC: Sure! I would shoot car chases differently, expand the love story between Mihajlo and his girlfriend that we had to shorten a bit in the edit, and I would make Petar a more elaborate character.
What does it mean to you to have your film selected by the Arpa International Film Festival?
STOJIC: I am very grateful to the Festival for including Off in the official festival selection. That’s a great honor for me and for a Serbian film, especially since the film is nominated in three categories. It’s really great news! Arpa Film Festival is a one of the biggest festivals of independent films in America that has its own tradition. It is extremely important that the audience will have the opportunity to see our film. I’m happy for that.
Written by Sharon Swainson
Communications & Content Development
2015 Arpa International Film Festival