Share
The documentary follows a French family of winemakers who moved to a remote village of Rogljevo in Serbia, an area once known worldwide for its wine. “The French promised to revive the ancient glory of a forgotten region, but clash of cultures and mentalities puts that goal in question,” according to a film synopsis.
Approximately 120 wine cellars in Rogljevo and other places in the region have been inscribed in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Despite such recognition, only a few cellars are still in use.“I hope this documentary will inspire people and launch a debate about how to revive this region,” says Mirkovic. “It is symbolic story about our region in a wider sense: a place where great potentials often fail to be realized.”
“The arrival of the French exposed some existential questions for this region,” says Dusan Gajic, producer and author of the film. “The whole culture built around ancient winemaking tradition is at the edge of disappearing. Possibly the best wine terroir in the Balkans and one of the best terroirs in Europe lies today in ruins. This is a sad, striking paradox addressed by our documentary.”
This is the 44th international award for Mirkovic. “The Second Meeting,” about the friendship of an America F-117A pilot and the missile officer who shot him down in 1999, was an Oscar candidate. [Read a New York Times review and watch the trailer.]The documentary is supported by Film Center Serbia and Creative Europe fund of the European Union.
Mirkovic earned an undergraduate degree in television directing at the Academy of Art in Belgrade in 1999, and an MA at ETMA (European Television Management Academy), Strasbourg, France, and Bournemouth University, UK. He is completing his PhD dissertation at the University of Vienna, Austria, in the Media and Communication Department on the topic of media and war.
His films have been featured at more than 200 international film festivals and broadcasted over TV stations throughout Europe, USA and Asia.
Story by
