World Premiere of Montenegrin Film VIDRA

AUTHOR: M.J. GDNUS

The world premiere of the Montenegrin film VIDRA opened the Competition Program – Feature Film section of the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival tonight, at the National Theatre in Sarajevo.

The red carpet on the second day of the Sarajevo Film Festival was marked by the team behind Vidra, led by director Srđan Vuletić and screenwriter Stefan Bošković. They were joined by the film’s actors – Maša Drašler, Savin Perišić, Pavle Marković, Nada Vukčević, and Marko Janketić.

On the occasion of the premiere, the portal klix.ba spoke with screenwriter Stefan Bošković about his collaboration with the director and the challenges of working with young actors.

At the beginning of the interview, Bošković revealed that his collaboration with Srđan Vuletić began while he was still pursuing his master’s degree in Sarajevo. “Believe it or not, our collaboration started five or six years ago, when Vuletić was teaching a screenwriting course. I was then developing ideas for this film, and he told me: ‘If you don’t have anyone else, I’d love to direct this film.’ I was thrilled by his honesty and agreed immediately. Later, I even got involved in the music, editing... We developed everything together,” Bošković recounted.

He emphasized that the collaboration was open and well-aligned. “Srđan is an excellent director and a great person. It’s easy to work with him, and working with the young actors was both fun and educational.”

A particular challenge was working with young actors, for whom Vidra was their first film project. “They need to be carefully prepared, taught the basics – from how to look at the camera to how to connect with the role. Writing for young people was extremely interesting,” the screenwriter added.

Bošković developed the script through consultations with teenagers: “I gave them scenes and asked how they would react. I wrote from the perspective of a 42-year-old, but inside I still feel like I’m around 15. I wanted the portrayal to be honest, without the stereotypes of our generation.”

The film’s theme, he explained, relates to patriarchy and its impact on the position of women in society. “I live in Montenegro, where patriarchy is strong. The film shows the systemic powerlessness of a young girl, her mother, and the relationships within a patriarchal environment. The obsession with the male gaze on the female body further complicates the situation. If the protagonist were a boy, the film wouldn’t have the same strength – boys behave differently, and this could destroy a girl’s life.”

As for the script, Bošković said: “The script remained true to the original. There were ideas for scenes, but the core story didn’t change.”

In conclusion, Bošković emphasized that the creative process matters most to him – not awards or popularity. “I expect nothing. Once the process is over, I’m done. The film goes to the audience – we hope we’ve offered our perspective and that we can stand behind it. Now it’s all up to the audience.”