The film “The Second Meeting” is a once-in-a-lifetime project. When I was invited to take part in a project that had been in preparation for over five years, I gladly accepted the challenge. The theme of the film deeply inspired me on a personal level as well, since I myself had felt the touch of the 1999 war firsthand. My father, Branislav, was also one of the officers who commanded an anti-aircraft military unit that defended the sky and land of our country.
As the film production lasted over ten years, the biggest challenge at the very beginning of post-production was the systematization of the material, a rough paper-based edit with the definition of the film’s chapters, and the creation of its structure.
Next, the challenge was to establish cinematic timing by selecting statements according to chronological flow. The greatest challenge was creating a parallel narrative thread, intertwining archival footage with the testimonies of present-day protagonists.
It was also very important to carefully control the length of the shots when presenting cinéma vérité situations.
After five years of persistent and patient work, director and producer Željko Mirković, along with Optimistic Film, Panina Studio and in cooperation with RTV Vojvodina, managed to complete a documentary film and series—something that initially seemed almost like an impossible mission. Across five episodes, viewers will experience a unique story that, even after only a few successful pre-premieres in New York and Washington and several screenings in Serbia, has already made its way around the world.
The film has received extensive media coverage, ranging from the BBC, UK Daily, ITN News, and Le Figaro, to US Public Radio, as well as all major media outlets in Serbia and across the former Yugoslav region, and even reaching numerous media channels in Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Israel, and more.
The world has clearly recognized the significance of this project, and new opportunities are already opening up—extending even to a potential Oscar nomination for Best Documentary.
