Nedavno smo imali priliku voditi opsežan intervju sa Steveom Ravićem (Majestic Film), nagrađivanim filmskim redateljem, producentom i scenaristom, ponajprije poznatim po radu u području umjetnosti i zabavne industrije. Australski Hrvat rođen je kao Stipe Ravić u Melbourneu u Australiji, hrvatskim roditeljima — Radoslavu iz Širokog Brijega u Hercegovini i Katici iz Rešetara u Slavoniji. Poznat je i po radu u glazbenoj industriji, kao voditelj, u istraživačkom novinarstvu te kao govornik na javnim nastupima.

Steve Ravić suvlasnik je i direktor kompleksa Arts Villa u Melbourneu, a nedavno je suosnovao više neprofitnih organizacija s ciljem podrške i povezivanja umjetnika — kako onih u usponu, tako i afirmiranih. Ravić je prepoznat kao snažan i dosljedan hrvatski domoljub, ali jednako tako i kao ponosan Australac. S dubokim poštovanjem prema obje domovine čije državljanstvo nosi, aktivno i predano radi na inicijativama koje doprinose njihovom kulturnom, društvenom i međunarodnom ugledu.

P: Uvijek je vrlo zanimljivo pratiti vaša putovanja po svijetu, a o njima često čitamo i u medijima, no javnost bi željela saznati više o vašem radu iz vaše perspektive. U studenome 2025. najavili ste neke ključne inicijative na American Film Marketu u Los Angelesu nakon uspješne kampanje na crvenim tepisima Filmskog festivala u Cannesu u Francuskoj. Nedavno ste bili u Berlinu na Berlinaleu i EFM-u (European Film Market). Što točno radite na tim događanjima i kako biste ih usporedili?

O: Svaki od tih događaja ima svoj karakter. Cannes je, naravno, najveći i najprestižniji festival i filmsko tržište na svijetu — mjesto na kojem već sedam godina imamo vlastiti službeni štand unutar Palais des Festivals, nakon naših skromnih početaka kada smo dijelili uredski prostor kod Screen Australia (australske državne filmske komisije) s drugim australskim producentima.

Iako se pojavljujem na crvenim tepisima, nisam tamo zbog glamura. Na takva događanja dolazim kako bih promovirao dovršene filmove, premijerno predstavio naše naslove, pronašao prodajne agente i distribucijske partnere, povremeno akvizirao filmove te, naravno, ispitao interes i predstavio koncepte novih projekata koproducentima i investitorima. Nema puno vremena za spavanje, a najbolji se poslovi često dogovore upravo na večernjim druženjima i događanjima nakon službenog dijela programa.

AFM je iznimno važan na svoj način, gdje povremeno imamo vlastiti štand ili se udružujemo s drugim kompanijama. Čak smo jednom dijelili štand s Japanom i Stand Entertainmentom Shinji Nishimure iz Tokija. EFM pak ima snažan fokus na okupljanje europskih filmskih institucija i profesionalaca iz industrije.

S obzirom na to da Majestic Film već desetljećima održava snažnu prisutnost u Europi — osobito kroz glazbeno-filmske projekte i distribuciju preko kompanija poput Sonyja i Universala — i ubuduće ćemo imati brojne projekte vezane uz europske zemlje, posebno hrvatski sadržaj koji planiramo snimati u Hrvatskoj i Hercegovini. Zato je sasvim prirodno da budemo prisutni i u Berlinu.

A tu je i sjajan osjećaj kada se spoje moji glazbeni i filmski svjetovi. Ove godine imao sam dodatno zadovoljstvo družiti se s Eiccom Toppinenom iz Apocalyptice i skupinom skandinavskih heavy metal umjetnika koji su bili na Berlinaleu zbog premijere filma NIGHTBORN, za koji je Eicca radio glazbu.

P: Kad smo već kod toga, kruže brojne glasine o širenju Majestic Filma natrag u Europu i na druga tržišta, vašim kontinuiranim naporima s pokretom Metal Warriors te nedavnom predstavljanju ICAN-a (International Croatian Artists Network) i Australian Arts Association Inc. Jeste li imali još kakvih novih najava u Berlinu i imate li kakvu ekskluzivu za podijeliti? Možete li također pojasniti udruge i zašto ste ih osnovali?

O: Više se radi o ponovnom uspostavljanju naše prisutnosti na terenu u Europi, koja je bila zaustavljena zbog pandemije COVID-a i nemogućnosti putovanja. Cilj nam je ponovno otvoriti ured u Stuttgartu u Njemačkoj preko našeg njemačkog suradnika Nica Prontzasa te se potencijalno vratiti projektima koji su više vezani uz glazbu, poput suradnje sa švedskim bendom The Poodles na njihovu dugo očekivanom povratku na pozornicu. To će biti brendirano kao dio suradnje Metal Warriors uz Majestic Film.

Što se tiče pokreta Metal Warriors, danas ga zajedno sa mnom vodi moj sin Rocky Ravić iz benda MYSTERY, koji preuzima ostavštinu i nastavit će se fokusirati na koncertna događanja.

Sva ta proširenja više se odnose na formalno komercijalno pozicioniranje u Hrvatskoj, kao i na institucionalne i neprofitne suradnje. Učvršćujemo suradnju s hrvatskim braniteljem i vlasnikom produkcijskog studija Juricom Šimunkovićem iz Studija Novalis u Zagrebu. Također se nadam blisko surađivati s našim dragim prijateljima Marinom i Denisom Pletikosom iz Mediteran Produkcije, s kojima sam surađivao tijekom menadžmenta Marka Perkovića Thompsona.

Postoji više inicijativa koje još uvijek uvodimo na globalne platforme — od širenja novih udruga do najava novih projekata u razvoju i promocije nadolazećih filmskih izdanja. Planiramo proširiti i sadržaj vezan uz imerzivne tehnologije, uključujući gaming, AR i VR. Tu inicijativu vodi moj najstariji sin Ante Ravić.

Imam i kćer Litu, koja je Toymate franšizna menadžerica za Victoriju i nije službeno uključena u naš umjetnički svijet, osim što povremeno sudjeluje u projektima, ali nadamo se da ćemo je nagovoriti da nam se pridruži i zaokruži cijelu priču. Berlin je bio tek mali uvid u ono što dolazi za Cannes u svibnju i u godinama koje dolaze.

P: Recite nam više o ICAN-u (International Croatian Artists Network) i kako je povezan s vašim radom na dugometražnom filmu DIVA. Vi i Majestic Film napravili ste sjajan posao dovršivši film, koji je bio dio vaše inicijative za širenje hrvatskog sadržaja publici i koji je izazvao iznimno pozitivnu reakciju javnosti.

O: ICAN je primarno osnovan kako bi pomagao u produkciji, promociji i prodaji hrvatskog sadržaja međunarodnoj publici, ali platformu proširujemo i kako bismo povezali hrvatske umjetnike iz cijelog svijeta — i iz Hrvatske — kroz različita umjetnička područja. Trenutačno je riječ o registriranoj udruzi u Melbourneu u Australiji, a u sljedećih nekoliko tjedana bit će formalno registrirana i u Zagrebu.

Može se reći da je DIVA, film Branka Perića, bila svojevrsni razvojni model iz kojeg je proizašao ICAN. Osnovna ideja bila je uspostaviti neprofitnu organizaciju s održivim poslovnim modelom — organizaciju koja ostvarene komercijalne prihode reinvestira u potporu budućim filmskim i umjetničkim projektima.

Perića i film smo već podržavali kroz financijske obveze i resurse još od Cannesa 2024., kako bismo pomogli u izgradnji javne prepoznatljivosti kroz promotivne kampanje koje su uključivale i Filmski festival u Cannesu, gdje smo 2025. održali testnu projekciju. Nakon pregleda filma i povratnih informacija publike koja je prisustvovala toj projekciji, zaključili smo da je potrebno da se mi iz Majestic Filma uključimo u produkciju te snimimo dodatne scene kako bi se priča bolje povezala, dobila više sadržajne težine i više emocije. Također je bilo potrebno dodatno podići produkcijsku vrijednost, kojoj je trebalo ozbiljno osvježenje.

Tu je naša uloga postala ključna u dovođenju filma na tržišno i komercijalno održiv standard. Prvo sam angažirao Divu Perković za ulogu u filmu, i ona je doista pružila emotivnu izvedbu koju sam postavio na sam početak filma. Angažirali smo nagrađivanog filmaša Neila Johnsona iz SAD-a da snimi epske filmske kadrove krajolika i pomogne Majestic Filmu i meni oko nove postprodukcije, kako bismo film doveli na međunarodni standard i dali mu pravi filmski izgled.

Da bismo to ostvarili, bila nam je potrebna i opsežna korekcija te nadogradnja zvuka, jer je velik dio zvuka u filmu bio loše snimljen. U taj sam proces uključio našeg najnovijeg suradnika Majestic Filma, Carla Zdenka Tolja. Carlo se preselio u Hrvatsku iz Njemačke i radi kao producent zvuka na HRT-u (Hrvatska radiotelevizija). I dalje sam zadivljen čarolijom što je Tolj uspio napraviti kako bi podigao zvuk na potrebni standard.

I dovršetak filma DIVA i izgradnja naše ICAN platforme bili su financirani i podržani od mene i pojedinaca iz našeg tima u Majestic Filmu, tako da naši koproducenti iz SP Film Productiona nisu morali izdvojiti nama dodatna novčana sredstva. Sve je to bilo dio naše inicijative za uspostavu udruge ICAN, koja bi djelovala uz Majestic Film u podršci budućim hrvatskim filmašima i hrvatskim pričama — i povijesnim i fikcijskim

P: Kad govorimo o povijesnim pričama, možete li nam reći više o projektu THE LAST QUEEN, koji ste najavili u Cannesu 2025., i na kome će se temeljiti?

O: Kada smo u Cannesu 2025. prvi put najavili razvoj projekta The Last Queen, namjera je bila koproducirati epsko filmsko ostvarenje za globalnu publiku, što naravno zahtijeva dugotrajan proces i snažniju podršku. Riječ je o priči temeljenoj na posljednjoj kraljici Katarini, a film će biti snimljen na engleskom jeziku.

Naš tim proučava tu temu još od 2018., kada smo gospodin Steven Haar, Charles Billich i ja — svi uključeni u budući projekt — boravili u Rimu i bili gosti rektora Radoša i fra Branka Jurića u crkvi sv. Jeronima (Hrvatska katolička crkva) koje je organizirala naša suradnica Alenka Bonić. U to smo vrijeme bili potpuno posvećeni razvoju Billich filmova i do nedavno nismo imali potencijalne partnere ni veze u Bosni.

Ozbiljniji razvoj filma u Bosni i Hercegovini započeli smo prošle godine zajedno s Neilom Johnsonom iz SAD-a, koji je na Islandu snimao erupcije vulkana prije nego što je odletio u Hrvatsku i pridružio se Vesni Trokter i meni u Hercegovini, gdje su se za SP Film i našu postprodukciju DIVE radila dodatna snimanja.

To je bila idealna prilika da obiđemo autentične lokacije povezane sa stvarnom pričom o hrvatskoj kraljici Bosne, Katarini Kosača, uključujući ostatke prve crkve koju je sagradila u Kupresu i njezino rodno mjesto na rubu Mostara. Od tada smo pobudili interes američkih koprodukcijskih partnera na American Film Marketu prošlog studenoga, među njima i Willa Knochela iz Vital Picturesa, koji je radio u financijama u Disneyju i ABC-u, tako da je globalni interes definitivno prisutan.

To će biti zahtjevan projekt i još uvijek trebamo učvrstiti partnerske aranžmane u Bosni i Hercegovini, što se nadamo riješiti u narednim mjesecima. Ipak, već smo napravili dosta pripremnog posla, a imamo i umjetnička djela Charlesa Billicha, koji i dalje pokazuje velik interes za projekt. Dovršili smo i cjelovit treatment koji je poslan potencijalnim partnerima, s kojima smo nastavili razgovore u Berlinu.

P: Čuli smo za još jedan projekt na kojem radite, koji ste također najavili u Berlinu i povezan je s Bosnom i Hercegovinom. Možete li nam reći više o njemu?

O: To je naša najnovija najava projekta, THE INK COVENANT (. Radnja će biti smještena u Hrvatsku, Bosnu i Hercegovinu i Australiju. Isprva se nismo mogli odlučiti za naslov, a radni naslov bio je THE CROSS ON HER SKIN (Križ na njezinoj koži).

Ovaj novi filmski projekt predvodi Vesna Trokter (Majestic Film), koja je strastvena zaljubljenica u tattoo umjetnost. Film se temelji na tradicionalnom tetoviranju djevojčica i dječaka u Bosni i Hercegovini, koje je nastalo tijekom osmanske invazije na povijesne hrvatske zemlje. To se naziva “sicanje” ili “bockanje”, a bilo je rašireno među katoličkim Hrvatima kao znak identiteta i zaštite od odvođenja djece od strane Osmanlija, koji su ih prisilno preobraćali na islam.

Ta se tradicija tetoviranja nastavila kroz generacije, i nakon osmanske okupacije, više kao mjera opreza; danas je više trend ili osobna izjava. Čak i moj otac Radoslav, koji je iz Hercegovine, ima mali, izblijedjeli križić istetoviran na ruci još iz vremena kada je kao dijete živio pod jugoslavenskom okupacijom.

Kao tim, povezani smo s tom umjetničkom formom iz različitih osobnih razloga. Vesna je napisala prvi nacrt scenarija za ovu fikcijsku priču koja povezuje povijesne elemente.

Logline: Na povijesnim hrvatskim zemljama, mlada cura koja dolazi iz Australije otkriva da je naslijedila sveti znak tinte — drevni zavjet — koji je veže uz tajnu mrežu žena koje se generacijama neumorno bore kako bi spriječile dijabolično zlo koje prijeti široj populaciji.

Također želim istaknuti da se veselimo suradnji s našom kolegicom Stephanie Magic — talentiranom snimateljicom i filmašicom podrijetlom iz Australije, hrvatskih korijena, koja danas živi u Nizozemskoj. Pridružila se ekipi Majestic Filma na Thompsonovu koncertu na Hipodromu prošle godine, gdje nas je impresionirala stilom snimanja i strašću prema poslu, a od tada smo izgradili snažan profesionalni odnos. Stephanie na vlastitoj koži nosi povijesne hrvatske tetovaže, pa recimo samo da je to projekt koji nam je svima vrlo blizak — svakome na svoj način.

P: Kao pisac, zašto ste odlučili da Vesna bude scenaristica baš za ovaj film?

O: Vesna je postala i emocionalno i strastveno vezana uz ovaj projekt, potaknuta nekim osobnim događajima iz posljednjih mjeseci, tako da o tome zapravo nije bilo rasprave. Ona je osmislila koncept i odlučila da će sama napisati scenarij. Osim toga, riječ je o priči o ženama.

Iako joj je ovo prvi dugometražni scenarij, ima dodatnu prednost jer je uključena u razvoj scenarija za dugometražne filmove još od 2006., a desetljećima je pisala i uredničke tekstove za novine Hrvatski Vjesnik u Australiji. Ova priča sada je njezina “beba”, a više je čimbenika inspiriralo da napiše scenarij upravo na ovu temu.

Kao scenarist, vodio sam je kroz proces i moram reći da sve izgleda vrlo uzbudljivo. Bit ću uključen u finalni draft kako bih ga prilagodio svojoj režiji i tržištima, a radio sam i na treatmentu zajedno s Vesnom. Koncept, sinopsis i poster art već su pobudili interes koprodukcijskih i distribucijskih partnera na mojim sastancima u Berlinu, među kojima je bio i Carlos Rincon iz Prestige International Pictures.

P: U tom slučaju, zanima me vaše mišljenje o hrvatskoj eurovizijskoj pjesmi “Andromeda” u izvedbi Leleka, s obzirom na sličnost tema?

O: Što da kažem? Wau! Iskreno, bio sam šokiran — ali u vrlo pozitivnom smislu — jer nisam očekivao da će Lelek izboriti predstavljanje Hrvatske na Eurosongu u Beču ove godine. U potpunosti se divim pjesmi i poruci koju nosi, jer je toliko snažno povezana s našom poviješću da nisam mislio da ima šanse, iako sam osobno vjerovao da je uvjerljivo najbolja pjesma, ne samo ove godine nego i u jako, jako dugom razdoblju.

Zato sam bio presretan kada su djevojke pobijedile, a to je ujedno i potpuna paralela s onim što radimo s THE INK COVENANT, što sve čini još uzbudljivijim. Možda bi pjesma “Andromeda” trebala biti na soundtracku filma? To bi imalo itekako smisla. Iskreno me zanima kako će naš skladatelj Carlo Zdenko Tolj biti inspiriran cijelim konceptom. Možda bi proširena suradnja s Lelekom, pa čak i s nekim mojim prijateljima simfonijskim metal glazbenicima, bila sjajna. Nemojte mi davati ideje. Hehe.

P: Film COOKED WITH LOVE (Kuhano s Ljubavlju) odveli ste na AFM u Los Angelesu i EFM u Berlinu. U kojoj je fazi?

O: Prvi put sam se susreo s Brunom Bilandžijom i Ivanom Perićem iz VUtopije u Vukovaru u ljeto prošle godine i ostao sam zapanjen razinom umijeća tih iznimno talentiranih filmaša kada sam vidio trailer. Oni doista zaslužuju put prema širem tržištu i namjeravam učiniti sve što mogu kako bi njihov rad vidjela globalna publika.

To su upravo oni filmaši koji često ne dobivaju priliku i koje institucionalne komisije nerijetko zaobilaze, jer se fokusiraju na vrlo uski krug već etabliranih filmaša vezanih uz ono što ja zovem “sigurnim” pričama.

COOKED WITH LOVE definitivno ne pripada toj “sigurnoj” kategoriji, nego nečemu moćnijem, ali rad je toliko snažan, a prvi rezultati postprodukcije upućuju na vrlo kvalitetno produciran film. Dodatno pomaže to što Bruno dobro razumije kako funkcionira međunarodno filmsko tržište jer radi svoj due diligence i bio je vrlo zahvalan na našim naporima.

Da ne bude zabune, mi nismo uključeni u samu produkciju, ali itekako vjerujem u kvalitetu konačnog proizvoda na temelju onoga što sam dosad vidio i uvjeren sam da će film ostvariti međunarodnu distribuciju, jer smo već privukli nekoliko vrlo zainteresiranih međunarodnih prodajnih agenata i kupaca našim prezentacijskim paketom, koji je uključivao vrlo kvalitetno produciran trailer Brune i Ivana iz VUtopije. Sada je sve na postprodukciji i pripremi filma za Cannes.

P: U detalju, što preporučujete drugim filmašima početnicima koji žele dosegnuti globalnu publiku?

O: Filmska industrija — i umjetnost općenito — traži puno odlučnosti i strpljenja. Bruno Bilandžija izvrstan je primjer nekoga tko je nov u svemu tome, a već razumije osnovne zahtjeve filmske industrije i pokazuje želju da nauči više. To je vrlo dobar znak za buduću suradnju.

Od produkcijskih detalja i načina na koji film treba biti isporučen do razumijevanja distribucije — sve je to stalni proces učenja i ključno je pratiti promjene. Nema ništa bolje od toga da vas, kad god je to moguće, usmjeravaju profesionalci iz industrije.

Najgore je kada honorarci i početnici uđu s bahatim stavom “sveznalice”, a zapravo nemaju ni znanje ni iskustvo o tome kako industrija doista funkcionira. U ovoj sam industriji više od trideset godina i još uvijek nastojim učiti i držati korak sa svime. Ako mladi ili neiskusni filmaši imaju sreću pronaći mentora koji će ih voditi, to je uvijek velika prednost.

Neil Johnson, koji je danas moj dugogodišnji blizak kolega, uvijek je bio moj najveći mentor i pomagao mi je da kroz desetljeća ostanem korak ispred promjena u industriji. To je dodatno ojačano iskustvom na velikim filmskim događanjima, kroz koja sam razvio poslovno razumijevanje filmske industrije.

Sudjelovanje na događanjima i umrežavanje ključni su. Nemojte čekati da industrija dođe po vas — neće. Povezujte se s ljudima i ostanite skromni. Uvijek slušajte, učite kada god možete i cijenite vrijeme koje vam drugi daju.

S vremenom sam i sam postao mentor mnogima i uvijek sam spreman dati savjet i smjernice. Prije mnogo godina djelovao sam i kao savjetnik australske vlade pri Australia Council for The Arts. To povjerenje nisam stekao preko noći, nego kroz dugogodišnje iskustvo u industriji.

Ne mogu dovoljno naglasiti koliko je važno da filmaši, baš kao i glazbenici i bendovi, pravilno prate proces. Nemojte žuriti kad završite svoje remek-djelo, jer tada zapravo počinju pravi izazovi — osim ako već nemate osiguran ugovor ili zastupanje. Kada završite svoj umjetnički rad, surađujte blisko, pošteno i transparentno s profesionalcima kako biste iz finalnog proizvoda izvukli najbolje moguće rezultate.

Tu su i indie filmaši poput Bare Vardića. On je osoba koju sam upoznao, živi između Njemačke i Hrvatske i dugogodišnji je nezavisni filmaš koji je uspio pronaći vlastiti put do dovršavanja filmova. To iznimno cijenim jer sam i sam tako gradio karijeru i zaista mu moram odati priznanje za uporne napore.

Prvi put sam ga upoznao u Cannesu i od tada smo ostali u kontaktu. Vrlo je motiviran i uvijek spreman pomoći drugima kada može — nije mu sve samo o njemu, a to je velika kvaliteta. Vardić mi je rekao da mu je snimiti film lakši dio posla, ali da itekako poštuje izazove pronalaska distribucije, pa me zamolio za pomoć u tom segmentu. Tu ćemo se potruditi pružiti mu bolji uvid i smjernice.

Imali smo sreću dobiti smjernice i mentorstvo od Australian Film Commissiona (danas Screen Australia) u ranim danima. AFC me prvi put doveo u Cannes 2007., gdje su imali bootcamp za one koji dolaze prvi put. Zato želim napraviti nešto slično kroz ICAN za hrvatske filmaše koji nemaju takve platforme.

Istodobno, posljednjih godina došlo je do pada mogućnosti za australske talente, pa uvijek postoji prostor za šire modele razvoja snažnijih platformi za umrežavanje — i upravo u tom smjeru razvijamo našu platformu Arts Association Australia Inc.

P: Što nam možete reći o Arts Association Australia i Arts Villi, gdje je sjedište?

O: Ono što radimo nije usmjereno samo na film. ICAN je, primjerice, izvorno osnovan za filmaše i filmske projekte, ali smo ga proširili kako bismo kroz mogućnosti umrežavanja i događanja pomogli i drugim vrstama umjetnika.

Arts Association Australia Inc. nastao je obrnutim putem, ali s istim krajnjim rezultatom. Izvorno je osnovan kako bi vodio muzejski dio Billich Museum and Gallery i pružao prilike za povezivanje umjetnika u usponu i etabliranih umjetnika iz različitih područja, no sada ga također širimo kako bi uključivao filmaše i filmske projekte.

Razlika je u tome što je ICAN međunarodna organizacija za Hrvate, dok je Arts Association Australia usmjeren na podršku australskom talentu.

Obje organizacije djeluju iz našeg kompleksa Arts Villa u Melbourneu, koji je u suvlasništvu Ravić/Billich, a namjera je njegovati i podupirati razvoj umjetničkih programa kroz privatni sektor, umjesto oslanjanja isključivo na državne institucije. Naše inicijative zamišljene su kao suradnja s državom gdje god je to moguće, ali i kao nadopuna onome što već postoji.

Organizirat ćemo razne posebne događaje i susrete, s ciljem ne samo povezivanja umjetnika iz različitih područja, nego i stvaranja prilika da mladi talenti upoznaju veterane industrije i uspostave suradnje. Novim ljudima trebaju kontakti s iskusnima, a iskusnima uvijek trebaju novi talenti. To je dobitak za sve.

P: Hoćete li organizirati javna događanja ili će ovo biti više ekskluzivan tip kluba za članove povezane s organizacijama i poslovima?

O: To je odlično pitanje, jer nam je cilj da naša prisutnost bude otvorena zajednici i pristupačna. Zato mogu reći da ćemo organizirati i javna događanja, za koja smo osigurali dozvolu od općine. Održavat ćemo posebne Billich izložbe i druga tematska događanja za širu javnost.

Trenutačno smo u fazi razvoja proširenja zgrade i postupno gradimo prema većim i boljim stvarima. Ovo su organizacije i projekti nastali iz strasti i iskrene ljubavi prema umjetnosti.

Naš put prema Cannesu 2026. otkrit će puno više, uključujući i društvene mreže te web-stranice. U međuvremenu, ljudi nam se mogu javiti preko tima Majestic Filma, čiji su članovi kao pojedinci bili osnivači i prvi financijski donatori za uspostavu organizacije. Dodatno, kontakt-podatke moguće je pronaći i na Facebook stranici Arts Ville:  

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570981901735

P: Za kraj, možete li nam reći nešto o svojim planovima sada kada je Berlinale iza vas i imate li poruku za čitatelje? Puno vam hvala na vremenu.

O: Upravo sam završio kratko putovanje u London, gdje smo radili na usklađivanju ugovornih detalja i pretprodukcijskom planiranju filma MY WAY, temeljenog na životnoj priči izvanrednog umjetnika Charlesa Billicha — raseljene osobe koja je pobjegla od komunističke tiranije Jugoslavije tijekom okupacije Hrvatske nakon dvije godine zatvora, pronašla slobodu u Australiji i postala najistaknutiji živući umjetnik na svijetu, uz svoju inspirativnu suprugu Christu.

Uz ovaj veliki projekt, radim i na postprodukciji dokumentarnog filma koji je fokusiran na Marka Perković Thompsona i koncertu koji je oborio svjetski rekord, u filmu o vjeri i domoljublju hrvatskog naroda. To će biti uistinu jedinstven film na kojem surađujemo s Morrell Films.

Također razvijamo novi dokumentarni projekt pod nazivom HAND OF MY NEIGHBOUR, koji donosi snažnu i nadahnutu priču o izvanrednom humanitarnom djelovanju i dugogodišnjem doprinosu katoličkih časnih sestara u Papui Novoj Gvineji. Film prati njihov predani rad na terenu, služenje zajednici i konkretne promjene koje donose u svakodnevne živote ljudi, u okviru inicijative koju podupire Pacific Bio Fuels Holdings Pty. Ltd.

Što se tiče poruke čitateljima, želio bih vam svima zahvaliti na pažnji ako ste stigli pročitati ovaj intervju do samoga kraja. Iskreno se nadam da sam uspio odgovoriti na vaša pitanja. Veliko hvala mom prijatelju odvjetniku Donu Markušiću koji nastavlja voditi borbu za pravdu u našim zajednicama. Ostanite uz nas i veliko hvala svima!

Piše Bianca Cutrona

Prijevod: Petra Antolić

MAJESTIC SNOWSTORM IN BERLIN

An interview with Steve Ravić

We recently had the opportunity to conduct an in-depth interview with Steve Ravić of Majestic Film, an award-winning film director, producer, and writer primarily known for his work in the arts and entertainment. The Australian-Croatian was born Stipe (Steve in the Croatian language) Ravić in Melbourne, Australia, to Croatian parents Radoslav from Široki Brijeg in Hercegovina and Katica from Rešetari in Slavonia. He is also renowned for his contributions to the music industry as an MC and presenter, investigative journalist, and for his public speaking engagements.

Steve Ravić is the co-owner of the Arts Villa complex in Melbourne, Australia, and has recently co-founded multiple non-profit organizations to support and connect both aspiring and experienced artists. As a dual-citizen, Ravić is known to be an avid Croatian patriot and is also a very proud Australian, wanting to do positive things for both his countries. With deep respect for both homelands whose citizenship he holds, he actively and dedicatedly works on initiatives that contribute to their cultural, social, and international standing.

Q: It’s always very colourful to watch your many journeys around the world, and we often read about them in the press, but the public would like to know more about your work from your perspective. In November of 2025, you announced some pivotal initiatives at the American Film Market in Los Angeles after a successful campaign on the red carpets of the Cannes Film Festival in France earlier that year. Most recently, you were in Berlin for Berlinale and EFM (European Film Market). What is it that you do at these events, and how would you compare them?

A: Each has its own flair. Cannes is, of course, the biggest and most prestigious festival and market in the world—where we’ve held our own official stand inside the Palais des Festivals for several years now after our humble beginnings sharing a space at Screen Australia (the Australian Government’s film commission) with other Australian producers. Although I do the red carpets, I am not there for the glitz and glamour. I attend these events to promote completed films, premiere our latest films, find sales agents and distribution partners, occasionally acquire films, and of course, to put out feelers and pitch new project concepts to co-producers and investors. There’s no time for sleep at these events, and the best deals are mostly locked in during the after-hour socializing and parties.

AFM is crucial in its own right, where we occasionally have a stand or team up with other companies. We even shared a stand with Japan and Stand Entertainment of Shinji Nishimura from Tokyo. Whereas EFM has a strong focus on gathering European film institutions and industry professionals.

Given that Majestic Film has maintained a strong presence in Europe for decades—especially through music film projects and distribution through companies like Sony and Universal—we will continue to have many upcoming projects based in European countries, especially Croatian content, which we aim to shoot in Croatia and Hercegovina. Hence, it is only appropriate to have a presence in Berlin.

Not to mention the awesome feeling when your music and film worlds collide. This year, I had the added pleasure of chilling with Eicca Toppinen of Apocalyptica and a group of heavy metal Scandinavians artists who were at Berlinale for the premiere of the film NIGHTBORN, for which Eicca did the music.

Q: Speaking of which, there have been many rumours floating around about Majestic Film's expansion back into Europe and other territories, your continued efforts with the Metal Warriors movement, and the recent introduction of ICAN (International Croatian Artists Network) and Australian Arts Association Inc. Were there any other new announcements that you made in Berlin, and do you have any scoops to share? Can you also elaborate on the associations and why you founded them?

A: It’s more about re-establishing our on-ground presence in Europe, which was paused due to the COVID pandemic and inability to travel. We aim for our head office in Stuttgart, Germany, to re-open through our German associate Nico Prontzas and potentially also return to producing more music-related projects, like working with ‘The Poodles’ band from Sweden on their long-awaited return to the stage. This will be branded as part of the Metal Warriors collaboration alongside Majestic Film. As for the Metal Warriors movement, it is now co-run with my son Rocky Ravić from the band MYSTERY, who is inheriting the legacy and will continue focusing on concert events.

Any expansions are more about formal commercial positioning in Croatia, as well as institutional and non-profit collaborations. We are solidifying our collaboration with a Croatian homeland war for independence veteran and production studio owner Jurica Šimunković of Studio Novalis in Zagreb. We also hope to work closely with our dear friends Marina and Denis Pletikosa of Mediteran Production, with whom I worked closely during their management of Marko Perković Thompson. There are multiple initiatives that we are still in the process of introducing to global platforms—from expanding on the new associations to announcing new projects in development and promoting upcoming film releases. We also plan to expand on our immersive-related content, which includes gaming, AR, and VR. This initiative is being established by my eldest son Ante Ravić. I also have a daughter, Lita, who is the Toymate franchise manager for Victoria and is not officially involved in our modest arts empire, apart from occasionally being involved in projects, but hopefully, we’ll convince her to join us some day and complete the package. Berlin was just a sneak peek into what is to come for Cannes in May and into the future.

Q: Tell us more about ICAN (International Croatian Artists Network) and how it relates to your work on the feature film DIVA. You and Majestic Film did an amazing job completing the film, which was part of your initiative to spread more Croatian content to audiences and has drawn an extremely positive public reaction.

A: ICAN was primarily founded to help produce, promote, and sell Croatian content to international audiences, but we are also extending the platform to connect Croatian artists from around the world—and Croatia—across various arts. It is currently a registered association in Melbourne, Australia, but will also be formally registered in Zagreb in the next few weeks.

You could say that DIVA, a film by Branko Perić, was very much the prototype model from which our ICAN structuring was born. The concept was to create a not-for-profit organization that would generate a commercial turnover, redirected and invested into supporting the next generation of film and arts projects.

We were already sponsoring DIVA through financial commitments and resources since Cannes 2024 to help build public awareness through promotional campaigns that included the Cannes Film Festival, where we later did a test screening in 2025. After reviewing the film and receiving feedback from the audience that attended the test screening of SP Film’s movie, we concluded that it was essential for us to get involved in the production aspects of the film which required more scenes to be filmed so as to better tie the story, give it more substance, and bring more emotion to it. Additionally, we needed to further elevate the production value, which was in need of a makeover.

This is where our role became pivotal in bringing it to a marketable and commercial standard. Firstly, I organised the casting of Diva Perković for a part in the film, and she truly delivered an emotionally driven performance that I placed at the very beginning of the film to draw the audience in emotionally from the onset. We had also recruited the award-winning filmmaker Neil Johnson from the United States to film all of the epic cinematic scenery on the film and assist Majestic Film and myself with a new visual post-production to bring the film to an international standard and give it a real cinematic look.

To make this possible, we also needed major sound correction and enhancement because the sound was not recorded properly in much of the film. I brought our newest Majestic Film colleague, Carlo Zdenko Tolj, into the fold. Carlo moved to Croatia from Germany and has been working as a sound producer at HRT (Croatian national television). I’m still in awe at the wizardry Tolj managed to achieve to elevate the sound to the required standard.

Both the completion of the film DIVA and our ICAN platform build were fully funded and supported by myself and individuals from our team at Majestic Film, so our co-producers at SP Film Production did not have to outlay additional money for production costs and post-production. All this was part of our initiative to establish the ICAN association that would function alongside Majestic Film in supporting future aspiring Croatian filmmakers and Croatian content stories—both historical and fictional.

Q: Speaking of historical stories, can you tell us more about THE LAST QUEEN project, which you announced at Cannes in 2025, and who it will be based on?

A: When we originally announced the development of The Last Queen at Cannes in 2025, the intention behind it was to co-produce an epic cinematic masterpiece for a global audience, which obviously requires a lengthy process and stronger support. It is a story based on the last Queen of Bosnia, Queen Katarina, and will be told in English.

Our team has been studying this subject since 2018 when Mr. Steven Haar, Charles Billich, all of whom are part of the future project, spent time in Rome as guests of Rector Radoš and Father Branko Jurić at St. Jerome Croatian Catholic Church organized by our colleague Alenka Bonić. At that time, we were fully engaged in the development of the Billich film projects and had no potential partners or connections in Bosnia until recently.

We began more serious development for the actual film concept in Bosnia and Herzegovina last year alongside Neil Johnson from the USA, who was in Iceland shooting volcano blasts before flying to Croatia to join Vesna Trokter and myself in Hercegovina, where production pick-ups for DIVA were being done for SP Film in addition to our post-production of the film.

It made for the perfect opportunity to visit some authentic locations related to the real-life story of the Croatian Queen of Bosnia, Katarina Kosača, including the remnants of the first church she built in Kupres and her birthplace on the outskirts of Mostar. We have since generated interest from American co-production partners at the American Film Market last November, like Will Knochel of Vital Pictures, who worked in finance at Disney and ABC, so global interest is definitely on the radar. It will be a demanding project, and we still need to cement our partnership arrangements in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which we hope to settle over the coming months.

However, we have already done quite a lot of preparatory work, and we even have art provided by Charles Billich, who remains very interested in the project. We also completed a full treatment that has been submitted to some potential partners, with whom we continued to speak in Berlin.

Q: We have heard about another project that you’re working on, which you also announced in Berlin and is connected with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Can you tell us more about it?

A: That would be our newest slate announcement, THE INK COVENANT. It will be based in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Australia. Originally, we could not decide on a name, and the working title was actually THE CROSS ON HER SKIN. This new movie project concept was spearheaded by Vesna Trokter (Majestic Film), who is an avid tattoo art enthusiast. The film is based on the traditional tattooing of young girls and boys in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which originated during the Ottoman invasion of historic Croatian lands.

It is called “sicanje” or “bockanje” (pricking), and it was widespread among Catholic Croats as a mark of identity and a prevention against the abduction of their children by the invading Ottomans, who would force-convert their stolen children into Islam. 

This tattooing tradition continued through generations, even beyond the days of Ottoman occupation, more as a precautionary measure; today, it has become more of a trend or statement. Even my father, Radoslav, who is from Hercegovina, has a small fading crucifix tattooed on his arm when he was a child during the Yugoslav occupation. As a team, we are invested in the art form for various personal reasons. Vesna has written the first draft of the script for this modern-era fictional story that ties in historical elements.

Logline: In historical Croatian lands, a young woman arriving from Australia discovers she has inherited a sacred ink mark—an ancient vow—that binds her to a secret network of women who have tirelessly fought for generations to prevent a diabolical evil from threatening the greater population.

I also want to point out that we are looking forward to working with our colleague Stephanie Magic—a talented cinematographer and filmmaker originally from Australia with a Croatian background, who is now based in the Netherlands. She joined the Majestic Film crew for the Thompson Hipodrom concert last year, where she impressed us with her filming style and passion for her work, and our relationship has been forged since. Stephanie actually has the historic Croatian tattoos etched on her own skin. So, let’s just say it’s a project that is very close to home for all of us in very different ways.

Q: As a writer yourself, why did you decide on Vesna being the scriptwriter for this particular film?

A: Vesna has become both emotionally and passionately driven to the project, inspired by some personal events over recent months, so it was not even up for debate. She came up with the concept and decided that she would write the script herself. Plus, it is a story about women. Even though this is her first feature script, she has the added benefit of being involved in script development for features since 2006—plus she has been writing editorials for the Croatian Herald newspaper in Australia over recent decades. This particular story is now her baby, and multiple factors have inspired her to write a script about this subject. As a scriptwriter myself, I have been guiding her through the process, and I must add that it’s looking very exciting. I will be involved in the final draft to accommodate it for my direction and the markets, and I’ve also been working on the treatment together with Vesna. The concept, synopsis, and poster art have already drawn interest from co-production and distribution partners and colleagues initiated through my meetings in Berlin, among which was Carlos Rincon of Prestige International pictures.

Q: In that case, I am curious about your thoughts on Croatia’s Eurovision entry “Andromeda” performed by Lelek, given that there is a similarity in the themes?

A: What can I say? Wow! I was actually shocked—but shocked in a very positive way—because I did not expect ‘Lelek’ to win representation for Croatia at Eurovision in Vienna this year. I totally admire the song and the message behind it, as it relates to our history so heavily that I did not think it would have a chance, even though I personally believed it was by far the best entry not only for this year but in a very, very long time. So, I was overjoyed to see the girls win, and it’s also a total parallel to what we are doing with THE INK COVENANT, making it even more exciting. Maybe the song “Andromeda” should be on the actual film soundtrack? That would make absolute sense. I’m actually curious to see how our composer, Carlo Zdenko Tolj, will be inspired by the entire concept. Maybe an extended collaboration with Lelek and even some of my symphonic Metal musician friends would be great. Don’t give me ideas. Hehe.

You’ve now taken the film COOKED WITH LOVE to AFM in LA and EFM in Berlin. What stage is it at?

I originally met with Bruno Bilandžija and the team from VUtopia in Vukovar in the summer of last year, and I was astounded by the craftsmanship of these extremely talented filmmakers when I saw the trailer. They truly deserve an avenue to reach a broader market, and I intend to make every effort to have their work seen by a global audience. It’s filmmakers like this who do not get opportunities and are often shunned by institutional commissions, which tend to focus on and support a very narrow group of already established filmmakers attached to what I call “safe” stories.

COOKED WITH LOVE definitely does not fit that “safe” box, because it’s better than that and the work is strong, and the primary results of post-production visible on the trailer promise a very well-produced movie. It also helps that Bruno has a solid understanding of how the international film market works because he does his due diligence and has been very appreciative of our efforts.

Mind you, we are not involved in the production itself, but I most certainly believe in the quality of the final product based on what I’ve seen so far, and I am confident it will reach international distribution because we have already attracted several very keen international sales agents and buyers with our package presentation, which included the very well-produced trailer by Bruno and Ivan of VUtopia. Now it’s all about post-production and getting the film ready for Cannes.

Q: What do you recommend to other aspiring filmmakers looking to reach global audiences?

A: The film industry—and the arts in general—requires a lot of determination and patience. Bruno Bilandžija is a prime example of someone new to this, but he already understands the primary requirements of the film industry and expresses a desire to learn more. This is a positive sign for future dealings.

From production specifics and how a film needs to be delivered to how distribution works, it’s always a learning process, and it’s vital for filmmakers to pay attention and keep up to date with the many changes. There is nothing better than being guided by industry professionals whenever you get the chance.

The worst thing is when part-timers and newcomers waltz in with an obnoxious “know-it-all” attitude but really have no idea or experience regarding how the industry actually works. I’ve been in the industry for over thirty years, and I still look to learn more and try to keep up with everything. If aspiring or inexperienced filmmakers are lucky enough to find a mentor to guide them, that will always be beneficial. Neil Johnson, who is now a long-time close colleague, was always my biggest mentor and helped keep me ahead of things with industry changes over the decades. This was elevated by my experience through major film industry events, which developed my business knowledge of the film industry.

Attending events and networking is essential. Don’t wait for the industry to come looking for you, because it won’t. Engage with others and always be humble. Always listen, learn when you get the chance, and appreciate the time others give to you.

I’ve since become a mentor to many myself, and I am always willing to provide advice and guidance. Years ago, I also acted as a peer and advisor to the Australian Government’s Australia Council for The Arts. I didn’t gain that trust overnight but through many years of industry experience.

I can’t stress enough that filmmakers, like musicians and bands, need to follow the process correctly. Don’t rush into things when your masterpiece is completed because that is when the real challenges begin, unless you’ve already secured a deal or representation. When you’re done with your art, work closely, honestly, and transparently with professionals to secure the best results from the final product.

Then you also have indie filmmakers like Bare Vardić; he is someone I met who is based in Germany and Croatia and is a long-time indie filmmaker who has respectfully managed to find his own way to complete films. I greatly admire his fortitude because it’s how I developed my own career, and I really have to commend him on his continued efforts. I first met him at Cannes and have since kept in contact with him. He is a very driven individual and always willing to help others when he can—it’s not only ever about himself, and that is a great trait to have. Vardić expressed to me that making a film, for him, is the easy part—but he respects the challenges of finding distribution, so he has asked me for help in that regard. That is where we will make an effort to provide him with better insight and guidance.

We were lucky enough to receive guidance and mentorship from the Australian Film Commission (now Screen Australia) in the early days. The AFC first introduced me to Cannes in 2007, where they had a bootcamp for first-time attendees. Hence why I want to do something similar through ICAN for Croatian filmmakers who don’t have such platforms. However, there has been a slump in avenues for Australian talents in recent years, so there is always room for broader ways to develop stronger networking platforms, and that is where we’ve been steering our platform called the Arts Association Australia Inc.

Q: What can you tell us about Arts Association Australia and the Arts Villa where it is based?

A: What we are doing is not just for film. ICAN, for example, was originally founded for filmmakers and film projects, but we accommodated the need to help other kinds of artists through networking opportunities and events. The Arts Association Australia Inc. happened the opposite way but with the same end result. It was originally founded to run the museum part of the Billich Museum and Gallery and to provide networking opportunities for both aspiring and established artists from various fields, but we are now also extending it to cater to filmmakers and film projects. The difference is that ICAN is an international organization for Croatians, whereas Arts Association Australia is geared towards supporting Australian talent.

Both organizations are based out of our Arts Villa complex in Melbourne, which is a Ravić/Billich co-ownership, and the intention is to nurture and support the development of programs for the arts through the private sector, rather than relying on government institutions. Our initiatives are intended to work as a collaboration with government where possible and as a supplement to what is already available.

We will be holding all sorts of special functions and networking events, aiming not only to connect artists from various fields but also to provide opportunities for aspiring talent to meet industry veterans and form collaborations. Newcomers need to connect with industry veterans, and industry veterans always need to find new talent. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Q: Will you organize any public events, or will this be more of an exclusive type of members' club for those tied to the organizations and businesses?

A: That’s a good question because our aim is to make our presence very community-friendly and accessible, so rest assured that we will also be hosting public events for which we have secured a permit. We will hold special Billich exhibitions and other themed events for the general public. At the moment, we are in the development stages of expansions to the building and will be gradually building towards bigger and better things. These are very much organisations and projects built from passion and a love affair with the arts.

Our road towards Cannes 2026 will reveal a lot more, including social media pages and websites. In the meantime, people are welcome to contact us through the team at Majestic Film, who, as individuals, were the founders and original financial donors for the organization’s establishment. Additionally, you can find contact details on the Arts Villa Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570981901735

Q: On a final note, can you tell us about your plans now that Berlinale is behind you, and do you have any messages for the readers? We thank you very much for your time.

I just finished a quick trip to London, where we were working on some contractual fine-tuning and pre-production planning for the biopic film MY WAY, to be based on the real-life story of the artist extraordinaire Charles Billich, who was a displaced person that escaped the communist tyranny of Yugoslavia during the occupation of Croatia to find freedom in Australia and became the world’s most prominent living artist, alongside his inspiring wife Christa.

Besides this major project, I am also working on the post-production of a documentary featuring Marko Perković Thompson and the world record-breaking concert in a film about the faith and patriotism of the Croatian people. This is going to be a truly unique film on which we are collaborating with Morrell Films

We are also developing a new documentary project titled HAND OF MY NEIGHBOUR, which presents a powerful and inspiring story about the extraordinary humanitarian work and long-standing contribution of Catholic nuns in Papua New Guinea. The film follows their dedicated service on the ground, their commitment to providing opportunities for the community, and the tangible impact they make in people’s everyday lives, within the framework of an initiative supported by Pacific Bio Fuels Holdings Pty. Ltd.

As for any messages for the readers, I would like to thank you all for your attention if you’ve managed to read this interview to the very end. I sincerely hope that I’ve managed to answer your questions. A big shout out to my lawyer friend Don Markušić who continues to fight the good fight for justice in our communities. Stay tuned, and I thank you all very much.

Interview by Bianca Cutrona