The long-awaited film "Toma" began its cinematic life, and this achievement was already released yesterday Dragan Bjelogrlić it can also be viewed here. The film is biographical and tells the story of a legend of domestic folk music To Tom Zdravkovic.
They sign the script Zoran Lisinac, Nikola Pejakovic, Bjelogrlić i Maja Todorovic, while he was in charge of music Željko Joksimović.
Filming of the film began during the summer of 2020, due to the pandemic, it was interrupted until April 2021, and took place in several locations in Valjevo, Belgrade, Avala, Perlez, Tara, Baranda, Pancevo, Prijepolje, Herceg Novi, Dolovo, Zrenjanin and Chicago.
This impressionistic portrait shows Tom's beginnings, the peak of his career, but also all the loves that inspired his songs. Through the film, the relationship with the colleagues with whom he socialized was also shown.
The film not only presents details from Tom's life, but also his colleagues, among whom are Silvana Armenulić, Zoran Radmilović, Mika Antic, Predrag Zivkovic Tozovac.
He plays the title role Milan Maric as Toma Zdravković, while they are in other roles Tamara Dragicevic, Petar Benčina, Andrija Kuzmanović, Milena Radulović, Mirjana Karanović, Slobodan Boda Ninković, Marko Janketić, Ivan Zekić, Nina Jaković, Srđan Todorović, Vojin Ćetković and many others. The film first began its festival life with its premiere at the Sarajevo Film Festival, and was also shown at the Film Encounters event in Niš.
A young Montenegrin singer also appears in this production Emil Fetahović who was assigned to play Zdravko Čolić in the movie "Toma". More about this project, the premiere, but also the plans when it comes to music, Fetahović tells "Vijesti"...
How did you come to play Zdravko Čolić in the movie "Toma"?
Quite by accident. There was no audition for the role or anything like that. Literally the day before I got the call, I watched a report on the filming of the film on television. When my phone rang, I first thought that someone from the company was joking and was introducing himself as Bjelogrlic's assistant. They invited me to try to play Chola on stage with a band accompanying him. And those were guys who physically have that retro moment.
Since the beginning of your career, you have been compared to Chola. Was that also a "mitigating circumstance" to get the role?
I guess the music producer and director were looking for some cover songs on the internet Zdravko Colic, and thus tried to find someone who could visually bring it closer in the film. Since I sang his song at one of the competitions, they liked it, and in the end we arranged a time to record it.
What kind of experience do you have from filming and how does it feel to hang out and spend time with actors that you only saw on screen until then?
When you are a singer on stage, you often have to be an actor as well, so that the audience feels what is stated in the melody and in the lyrics of the song... As in all professions in life, there are some of us like this and others. This is a big film, so there had to be positive energy during the shooting. Milan Marić and Milena Radulović were with us on the recording that day. They were completely relaxed.
Given that you have no acting experience, who helped you the most to complete the assignment?
Besides the other singers and musicians I learned from when I was little, I probably followed Chola the most. So no one could have prepared me better than myself.
The night before last there was a premiere in Belgrade, the film is slowly starting its cinematic life. What were the impressions of the audience at the premiere and what are your expectations?
I have never been present at a premiere or in a cinema where the cast received applause so many times during the film. The audience was delighted even after the screening of "Tom". When the movie ended, people literally stood applauding for ten minutes. The story of Tom, and an era in this region, is incredibly emotional, so get your tissues ready.
Through various competitions, you discovered that you love Chola, but how well did you know Tom's songs?
Although I never listened to that kind of music, I always had the opportunity to hear Tom's songs from some people close to me. I wouldn't even classify his songs as folk music, they are more hits. Certainly, after the film, I perceive Tom, and the cult of his personality, completely differently.
How much will participation in this project open some new doors for you, are there any suggestions for collaborations - acting and music?
I have to admit that I met a lot of important people, right after the premiere in Belgrade, who like that moment when I sing or act. One cannot do it without the other, and yet I managed to leave a personal mark. I am satisfied with how everything went, and it is important that I am no longer unknown in those circles.
It's an interesting time for me
What about music, you haven't published anything for a long time and did you use the corona period and the lack of performances to record new songs?
Last year there was not much opportunity for me to perform, especially with a bigger band. Consequently, I had more opportunity to practice and explore what would be the most and best for me right now. Through some mutual friends, there was cooperation with Zeleta Lipovac, frontman and guitarist of "Divlji jagoda". He liked the way I sang and we found a common moment stylistically. The recording of the song and video should be finished very soon, so I think it's going to be an interesting time for me and the people who follow me.
How difficult is it today, when the author's creativity is questionable, perhaps due to hyperproduction, to find the right song?
Today, the critical mass of the music listening audience has changed. Life is fast, so it's the same with songs. Young people today will not listen to Pink Floyd and a seven-minute song. There is a great availability of everything, and then people look at everything superficially. I think that a song should have those two key tones, which sound and be a hit, whatever genre it is, and there is no recipe for that. So we are here to enjoy ourselves, try to find peace and that which pleases our soul and temperament while listening to music.
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