YOUNG SERBS CAPTIVATE AMERICA WITH SHORT FILM ABOUT NIKOLA TESLA

From a school classroom in Srbac to the international stage in Philadelphia, that is the remarkable journey of the short film A Letter to Mother, created by students of the Petar Kočić Secondary School Centre. Their work was presented in the United States at a conference marking the 170th anniversary of the birth of Nikola Tesla, where the young filmmakers received an award from the Tesla Science Foundation.

PHOTO: Glas Srpske

The students were officially recognised for their creativity, dedication and contribution to preserving the legacy of one of the world's greatest inventors and scientists.

The film was created by Ognjen Miljević, Filip Lazić, Milica Vujičić, Vladan Grgec, Stefan Stanić, Sara Stanić and Miloš Dragomirović, under the mentorship of their professor Novka Savić.

THE STORY BEHIND THE SUCCESS

Following a strong applause from the audience, the young filmmakers from Srbac received an official recognition from the Tesla Science Foundation for their work and creative contribution to preserving Tesla's legacy.

Behind the award lies a story of talent, persistence and, above all, people who recognised that a school film deserved an opportunity to reach audiences far beyond its local community.

Bogdana Brezovac, president of the Serb Cultural and Educational Society "Prosvjeta" in Germany and originally from Srbac, was among those who saw the potential of the project to cross borders.

She said the idea emerged during a conversation with Ognjen Miljević about marking the major anniversary dedicated to Nikola Tesla.

"The original idea was to premiere the film in Stuttgart, at an evening dedicated to Nikola Tesla. However, after contacting the Tesla Science Foundation in Philadelphia, it became clear that the film had the potential to reach a much larger stage. We submitted it for the official conference programme, and it was selected. Symbolically, we arrived in America precisely on Tesla's birthday," Brezovac said.

Organising the journey was far from simple. Obtaining visas, purchasing airline tickets, arranging accommodation, coordinating with hosts in the United States and maintaining constant communication with the students' parents required months of preparation.

SUPPORT THAT MADE THE JOURNEY POSSIBLE

The project received significant support from the wider "Prosvjeta" network, particularly the Main Board of SPKD "Prosvjeta" in Banja Luka and SPKD "Prosvjeta" Austria.

German institutions also helped make it possible for the film crew to travel to Stuttgart, where the film had its premiere in early June.

Additional financial support was needed to enable at least two of the young filmmakers, Ognjen Miljević and Filip Lazić, to travel to the United States.

According to Brezovac, institutions of the Republic of Srpska and local communities played a crucial role in securing the necessary funding.

In Philadelphia, the film was screened before numerous distinguished guests, including Serbia's Ambassador to the United States Dragan Šutanovac, Serbia's Consul General in New York Vladimir Božović and Ashley Redfern Neswick, Executive Director of the Tesla Science Foundation in America.

Particular attention was drawn to Filip Lazić, who appeared in a Nikola Tesla costume.

"Many people approached him to take photographs, commenting on how convincingly he resembled Tesla. When the screening began, they realised that 'Tesla' had actually been among them the entire time, which created a very special atmosphere," Brezovac recalled.

NOT A CLASSIC BIOGRAPHICAL STORY

Screenwriter Ognjen Miljević explained that the film was never intended to be a conventional biographical account of Tesla's life.

"The inspiration was Tesla's letter, real or imagined, addressed to his mother. We wanted to show that even great figures such as Tesla were ordinary people who experienced sadness, suffering and the search for their place in the world. The difference is that they achieved their dreams through enormous effort and hard work," Miljević said.

The greatest challenge, he added, was condensing Tesla's life and ideas into just three minutes.

"When you transfer an idea onto 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 that is perhaps the greatest value of this project," he said.

The young filmmakers admit that the pressure was enormous, which is why they kept their speech at the conference short and allowed the film itself to tell the story.

"We were most nervous during the screening. Then the applause came, bringing an enormous sense of relief. The audience was delighted not only by the film, but also by the fact that it had been created in such a small community," Miljević said.

A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO TESLA IN NEW YORK

The trip to the United States left a lasting impression on the young filmmakers.

One particularly emotional moment was passing by the Hotel New Yorker, where Nikola Tesla spent the final years of his life. For the students, seeing the place was a symbolic tribute to the man whose life and character they had attempted to portray through their film.

"I am especially grateful to Bogdana Brezovac, who submitted our film to the conference and organised a large part of the journey, Finance Minister Zora Vidović, who helped us secure funding for the trip, as well as the Millennium Association and Sanela Vidović, who gave us tremendous support. Their belief in us was just as important as the journey itself," Miljević said.

For the young screenwriter, the project also had a deeply personal impact.

"During the work on this project, I realised that I want to study film and pursue directing in the future. The film industry is extremely interesting, and I hope I will have the opportunity to explore different roles, develop a wide range of skills and one day become a successful and versatile director. I am preparing to enrol at university and am developing different filmmaking techniques. For me, this is only the beginning," Ognjen said.

"A LETTER TO MOTHER" ALSO SCREENED IN BANJA LUKA

At the same time the film was being presented in the United States, A Letter to Mother was also screened in Banja Luka as part of an evening dedicated to Nikola Tesla, organised by the Tesla Science Association of Banja Luka to mark the 170th anniversary of the birth of the renowned scientist.

While part of the film's creative team presented the project in Philadelphia, their colleagues who remained in Bosnia and Herzegovina introduced the film to audiences in Banja Luka.

In this way, the story of Nikola Tesla told through the eyes of young filmmakers from Srbac reached audiences on both the international and local stage — demonstrating that creativity, talent and determination can take a school project far beyond the classroom.