Coming to terms with motherhood as a myth

In the very center of the film industry, in Los Angeles, together with five other selected projects from around the world, the Montenegrin project of the feature film "Fruit", which is written by a young Montenegrin screenwriter, will be presented. Sara Đurović directs Masa Sarovic.

The project in the development phase was selected among six projects from around the world at the International Project Discovery Forum, which takes place from May 12 to 15 as part of the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, where well-known names from the world of film were also presented. George Lanthimos i Alexander Payne.

”The forum gives film professionals an opportunity to promote their feature films in development. The filmmakers will participate in the program conceived through four days of intensive workshops, and each of the representatives of the selected projects will participate in the final pitch. The commission will be made up of professionals from the film industry," it was stated in an earlier announcement.

Đurović has been working on the template, which has already passed the "fourth hand" as a script and has been translated, for six years. The team, which includes Sarović and her as well as the director of photography Igor Lazic and female producers Jelena Šoškić i Marija Perovic, is entering its fourth year of operation.

"Plod" or "Embryo" is produced by the production company "Kino", and in America it will be represented by Šarović. Earlier, he received support for the development of the project and for the development of the script at the competitions of the Film Center of Montenegro, and he also attended the international workshop "First Films First", co-production market and Pitch Sofia meetings. In response to this, Đurović speaks for "Vijesti".

The project in the development phase of the feature film "Fruit" was selected among six projects from around the world for this year's International Project Discovery Forum in Los Angeles. To begin with, how did you receive this information and how much does the selection itself mean to you at this stage? In addition to the importance for your project and yourself, how much does the selection mean for the cinematography of Montenegro, but also for future achievements and creators?

We received the news very enthusiastically, because after the international workshop First Films First, where the mentors were some of the most important names in European cinematography such as Cristi Puiu, Ildiko Enyedi i Christian Berger, and support for the development of the project from the Film Center of Montenegro, we are going one step further to the very center of the film industry. Each workshop, forum or pitch contributes to the additional recognition of the project, cinematography and is important for future applications. Also, the director of the film, Maša Šarović, is going to Los Angeles, which is particularly exciting.

The forum is held as part of the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival. Would you tell us something more about the festival, this segment of the program, but also about your participation - what does it entail, what are the (future) benefits and the like?

It is a festival of independent film, with an accent on Greek cinematography, whose authors such as George Lanthimos, or originally Alexander Payne, has a huge influence in today's modern film. Alexander Payne himself was a participant of the festival. The jury this year consists of directors gathered around the Tribeca festival. The program consists of four days of intensive workshops and each of the representatives will participate in the final pitch. The first reference I had when writing "Fruit" was "Kynodontas" by Jorgos Lanhimos, so nothing is accidental. We'll see if that sticks in the film, although I think it's good for young directors and screenwriters to have role models. The film is certainly fluid, constantly changing, until the last stage in post-production. Due to a good understanding with the director, now it seems to me that we are on the same track.

"Fruit" is presented in America by director Maša Šarović. Could you give the readers an idea of ​​what they will be talking about and what the future film is like - what it is about, who makes up the team at the moment and what is the plan for the next steps?

Maša Šarović is a gifted director, we are generationally close. I watched her award-winning short films, with which she participated at SFF, San Sebastian and Cannes. "Fruit" talks about motherhood, family pathologies, living as a response to the impossibility of adequately dealing with these pathologies. It questions socially acceptable models of happiness, indirectly deals with patriarchy in a modern way, whose survival mechanisms are sometimes intrusive and aggressive, and sometimes invisible, perfidious. In addition to the director and myself, the screenwriter, the team for now consists of director of photography Igor Lazić and producers Jelena Šoškić and Marija Perović. The fourth hand of the script has been completed and translated, the pitch and wider round of casting are currently being prepared. We invite Montenegrin actors and actresses aged 20-30 to apply for a wider round of casting.

It seems to me that it is a serious mythomania not to question motherhood and maternal instinct, to trivialize it, starting from the idea that every woman is a born mother. It is certainly a taboo subject, and we would say that in the process of work we moved away from mythomania and came closer to dealing with a taboo subject...

What is the backbone of the story, who will the film follow and present, in what way? What guided you as a screenwriter during your work?

We follow the character of the twenty-five-year-old architecture student Ksenija, her survival in a symbiotic and pathological community, her metaphorical and literal fall and her 'trial and error' of self-integration and the right to exist again.

It seems that "Fruit" talks about motherhood and pregnancy, what is taken for granted for a woman in most cases, and you are precisely defining the pathology of our society through this. To what extent are all the circumstances that go along with it a taboo topic in our country?

The initial thought when writing this script was to deal with motherhood as a myth. It seems to me that it is a serious mythomania not to question motherhood and maternal instinct, to trivialize it, starting from the idea that every woman is a born mother. There is certainly a taboo subject, and we would say that in the process of work we moved away from mythomania and came closer to dealing with a taboo subject, but it is necessary for art to broaden horizons, question established patterns, and even emancipate viewers and creators, or at least simply force them to communicate. about some repressed content, repressed memories. I think it's important that we communicate as a society. At least about the weather. (laughter)

Maša Šarović also said that it is "about a direct and harsh depiction of the life of a woman". It seems, however, that not everything is black and/or white. As a society, do we think about all those shades in between, or those "shades of gray", and besides, how much do we talk about causes in relation to consequences?

Rarely. We are quite unquestioned, sometimes even exclusive. We are not fans of open communication. As in medicine, we rarely deal with causes. I think the optimal solution to this is to train accuracy. At least in writing (smile).

You place women in the center (of the action)... Is it and how important is it to process and transmit women's experiences, in what way, can it contribute to (female) solidarity and everything that leads to (complete?) equality and social progress?

The main character of "Fruit" is a woman who is in the process of emancipation. We also have female antagonistic characters, who are precisely antagonistic because they do not know what female solidarity is. The only way to complete equality and social progress is for women to stop looking at other women as competitors, just because they are women, and to behave like crabs in a jar, dragging themselves and other women down, because it is not decent, it is not correct, and it seems unwise.

Earlier you pointed out that you have only one expectation from the announcement, "and that is for the film to be good. Is it a little...", I quote you... Are the previous contests, support and programs some kind of proof of the existing potential, but also announcements of a good achievement?

It is certainly an encouragement. We are entering our fourth year of work, and I am entering my sixth. It is up to us to prepare as well as possible and to hope, because in the process of creating a feature film, a small dose of luck is also necessary. If it happens, it is important to recognize it.

When can we expect a new phase of work on this film and what are your plans for the future?

I have already mentioned that we have entered the casting stage, the next stage is the tour and preparation of the facilities and the application to the competition of the Film Center of Montenegro and competitions in the region...

It would be nice if Montenegrin society listened more to its authors

In what direction do you think Montenegrin cinematography and the position of young creators are moving?

I have positive cooperation with young directors from FDU Cetinje such as Milorad Milatović, Sara Stijović, Esma Sarić and Zvonimir Grujić. Since the establishment of the Film Center, the regular announcement of competitions gives continuity to Montenegrin cinematography, and it is important for us young people. In the last twenty years, people appeared who achieved the continuity of Montenegrin cinematography. This is recognized outside the borders of Montenegro. It would be nice if Montenegrin society listened more to its authors.