14.11.2019.
Day of the Military Film Center “Zastava film” marked
On the occasion of the Day of the Military Film Center “Zastava Film”, celebrating its 71stanniversary today, a ceremony was held today at the premises of that film company on Košutnjak.
Congratulating the holiday to the Zastava Film personnel, the Head of the Public Relations Department, Colonel MihailoZogović, conveyed to the employees the congratulations of the Minister of Defense Aleksandar Vulin on the occasion of this significant anniversary and pointed out that “Zastava film”is recording history in the present.
- “Zastava Film” cameras record all the important events in the Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Armed Forces, but also everywhere where the Serbs live – saidColonel Zogović. He also pointed out that the capabilities of “Zastava Film”in the field of information activities are being improved and upgraded in accordance with the needs and that the advancement in this field is visiblealready; and with the support of the Public Relations Department and understanding of the Ministry of Defense management, next year this institution will be further reinforced in staff and technology.
- In the field of film business also, this companyhas achieved significant results. The rich film archive expands every year, and only over the past year, “Zastava Film”, in cooperation with Radio Television of Serbia, has completed two capital films on war stories from KošareandPaštrik. Independent production, “Zastava Film” also completed“Kosmetskatrilogija” (“Kosmet Trilogy”) as a remembrance and 20th anniversary since the fight against the NATO aggression – saidColonel Zogović, emphasizing the six films made about the Brigades, which were awarded the Order of the People’s Hero in 1999.
The Head of the Public Relations Departmentsaid he was especially pleased that the company survived and proved its value, bearing in mind that in the times behind us options for its closingwere considered, adding that from the position of the Head of the Public Relations Department he would do everything to help it become even stronger and more successful in the days to come.Referring to the history of the company, the Director of the Military Film Center, Lieutenant Colonel Goran Ikonić, said that today, the Military Film Center“Zastava Film”, with a tradition of over seven decades, rich experience, numerous movieawards, and above all, extensive production expressed in millions of meters of film, is a unique film company in our country and the region.
- Over this long period of time generations of “Zastava Film”workers came and went and each has contributed to the development of this company. Ours will remain rememberedfor succeeding to breathea new lifeinto this institution following a difficult period. In production terms, we have made a big leap forward and, with several important projects, have regained the old splendor of the institution and reestablished ourselvesas a recognized producer in the region. In this second visual part, we have completely reconstructed the facility, equipped it with modern film equipment, partially rejuvenated the staff and thus created excellent conditions for the life and work of the institution and all its members – saidLieutenant Colonel Ikonić, adding that all this would not have happened had it not been for the wholehearted help and the support of the superior Public Relations Department and the very top of the defense system, for which he gave thanks on behalf of the employees.
In the coming years, Lieutenant Colonel Ikonićadded, “Zastava Film”, in addition to its primary tasks in the defense system, will work on digitizing the archives in order to open part of that treasury to the public in the future and show why we are so important and valuable.
“Zastava Film” presented the past year year, in the spirit of today’s holiday, through moving pictures of a ten-minute film as a kind of short retrospective of the work of “Zastava Film”in 2019.
On the occasion of today’s holiday,the Director of Military Film Center“Zastava Film”, Lieutenant Colonel Ikonić, awarded the Golden Charter for assistance and support to this institution and a remarkable contribution to the development of military cinematography to the Minister of Defense, Aleksandar Vulin.
On the occasion of seven decades of work, the Charter of “Zastava Film” for a series of years of fruitful cooperation and outstanding contribution to the development of military cinematography was awarded to Director VeselinGrozdanić, director of “Šumadija film”ŽivoradMihajlović, company “Milan Blagojević-Namenska” and Dean of the Academy of Arts, Professor Dragan Elčić.Acknowledgment for the cooperation and assistance in the restoration of the film “O ljubavnimveštinama”(“On Love Skills”) by director KarpoGodina was awarded to the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Belgrade, and a thank you note for the cooperation in the implementation of the film “SedmoricasaDrine”(“Seven from the Drina”) was presented to Andrea Dardin.
On this day, in 1948, a film department “Zastava Film”was formed with the main political administration of the Yugoslav Army. It was a continuation of the interrupted continuity of military cinematography whose beginnings date back to 1916 when, by order of the VojvodaPetarBojović in Thessaloniki, a photographic-cinematic section was establishedwithin the intelligence department of the Supreme Command of the Serbian Army. Since then, military cinematography has been and remains one of the pillars of the Serbian and Yugoslav culture andtradition.
