U veličanstvenom povratku u Los Angeles, australsko-hrvatski redatelj i producent Steve Ravić, CEO Majestic Filma, ponovno je stupio pod reflektore svjetske industrije – ali ovoga puta s jasno definiranom misijom: povezati hrvatske umjetnike i promovirati hrvatske priče u sam vrh međunarodne kinematografije.

Tu je misiju snažno pokrenuo na Filmskom festivalu u Cannesu 2024., a u Hollywoodu je nastavlja. Na ovogodišnjem American Film Marketu (AFM), održanom u Century Plazi u Los Angelesu, Ravić i njegov tim predstavili su dvije ključne inicijative – International Croatian Artists Network (ICAN) i Arts Association Australia Inc. (AAA) – te najavili gotove filmove i nove iskorake u nizu već započetih filmskih projekata, od novog dokumentarca o Charlesu Billichu i Marku Perkoviću Thompsonu do igranih filmova „Diva” i „Cooked With Love”.

Pitanje koje se prirodno nameće glasi: što to znači za hrvatske filmove?

Pokretanje ICAN-a i povezivanje hrvatskog talenta

Prijestolnica zabave, sam Hollywood, idealna je međunarodna lansirna rampa za “ICAN”, “International Croatian Artists Network”, čije će sjedište biti u Zagrebu, Hrvatskoj, u povijesnoj zgradi koja se nalazi u susjedstvu Hrvatskog sabora i Ureda predsjednika Vlade, zahvaljujući vlasniku Donu Markušiću.

Inicijativu predvodi Steve Ravić, zajedno s Vesnom Trokter i vrhunskim odvjetnikom Donom Markušićem, inače velikim filmofilom koji je sudjelovao u stvaranju najnovijeg dugometražnog dokumentarnog filma usredotočenog na život najplodnijeg živućeg umjetnika na svijetu, hrvatsko-australskog umjetnika Charlesa Billicha. Nedavno dovršeni dokumentarni film ‘Billich 90’ Stevea Ravića također je promoviran na AFM-u i bit će objavljen u nadolazećim mjesecima. Zajednički nazivnik je taj da svi osnivači ICAN-a imaju veze i s Hrvatskom i s Australijom.

Nova inicijativa djelovat će i kao platforma za predstavljanje hrvatskih sadržajnih priča svijetu i kao mreža koja će povezivati hrvatske talente iz raznih područja s drugim hrvatskim umjetnicima te umjetnicima koji promoviraju hrvatsku umjetnost i kulturu u domovini i diljem svijeta.

Steve Ravić izjavio je: “Ovo je nešto što je potpuno nedostajalo. Ne samo za mlade i nadolazeće umjetnike, nego čak i za dobro etablirana i globalno prepoznata imena. Prije mnogo godina radio sam intervju za HRT s australskom zvijezdom, A-list glumcem hrvatskog podrijetla, Ericom Banom, u kojem je spomenuo kako bi volio imati mogućnost povezati se s drugim Hrvatima u filmu.”

Glas Rock Zvijezde

Globalno poznata rock ikona Miljenko ‘Mili’ Matijević poznat je po brojnim hitovima na najvećoj svjetskoj glazbenoj ljestvici, Billboard Hot 100, gdje je njegov hard rock sastav Steelheart bio na ljestvici s hitovima poput “I’ll Never Let You Go” i “Angel Eyes.” Prije svega poznat po svojim zapanjujućim vokalnim sposobnostima, Mili je također poznat po tome što je nastupao kao vokalist na koncertima originalnih preživjelih članova legendarnog benda The Doors i po tome što je glas iza holivudskog blockbustera ‘Rock Star.’

Pridružit će se Charlesu Billichu kao počasni član ICAN-a, Miljenko je izjavio: “Nevjerojatna ideja s kojom je došao moj prijatelj Steve Ravić, okupljajući sve Hrvate diljem svijeta. Spomenuo mi je nekoliko ljudi koji su u filmskoj industriji i nalaze se upravo ovdje u Los Angelesu, za koje ni ja ne znam, i to je ludo. Ova ideja da nas sve poveže je predivna. Veselim se upoznati više talentiranih umjetnika.”

Miljenko Matijević sada je također uključen u filmsku produkciju i vlasnik je vrhunskog studija za zvuk i postprodukciju u ‘The Lot’ u Hollywoodu, poznat po tome što je bio originalni Warner Studios i studio Franka Sinatre u Hollywoodu.

Ravić kaže: “Mili je upravo doletio u LA nakon svjetske turneje i iste me večeri pozvao u Hollywood s mojim gostima na nekoliko pića i zalogaj u slavnom SOHO-u. Pridružio sam se Miliju zajedno s Vesnom i mojim dobrim prijateljem, našim filmskim kolegom Carlosom Rinconom, predsjednikom Prestige International Pictures (bivšim izvršnim prodavačem Premiere Entertainmenta), koji je, pukim slučajem, neizravno zaslužan za to da se inicijativa ICAN pomaknula od koncepta prema stvarnosti. Upravo me Carlos prvi put upoznao s hrvatsko-američkim filmskim redateljem Rafaelom Primorcem, i to je bio trenutak kada sam shvatio da doista moramo povući taj ključni potez na šahovskoj ploči i osnovati ICAN da se mi Hrvati možemo sami spajati kroz udruge. Gradimo taj most.”

Izjava o Arts Association Australia

Steve Ravić također je najavio osnivanje ‘Arts Association Australia Inc.’ (AAA), koja će imati glavni ured u Melbourneu, Australija, u Arts Villi, koja je dom Majestic Filma i Billich Museum and Gallery; nekretnina je dom zajedničkim pothvatima između Ravićevog i Billichovog carstva, ali će također osigurati prostor i infrastrukturu za podršku umjetničkim inicijativama, stipendijama i radionicama kroz Arts Association Australia.

Vesna Trokter rekla je: “Australija već ima blisku zajednicu umjetnika iz cijelog svijeta koji se povezuju preko organizacija poput Screen Australia, koja može biti vrlo korisna u tom pogledu, tako da će AAA djelovati više kao komplementarni dodatak onome što je već snažna i etablirana mreža. Arts Association stavit će veći naglasak na pružanje prilika mladim i nadolazećim talentima uspostavljanjem prilika za njih da se povežu s drugim nadolazećim umjetnicima i pomognu uzdizanju novih talenata nudeći mentorstvo i upoznavanje s veteranima industrije i svjetskom scenom, a bit će i suradnje s ICAN-om da možemo i pružiti prilike hrvatskoj dijaspori u Australiji.”

Ujedinjavanje umjetnika i nadolazećih talenata s fokusom na Hrvatsku

I hrvatska i australska inicijativa osmišljene su kako bi ujedinile umjetnike, povezale etablirane zvijezde i omogućile umrežavanje nadolazećim talentima, dok istovremeno podupiru platforme na prestižnim filmskim festivalima i događajima kao što su Cannes i AFM.

Ne zanemarujući svoju bazu u Australiji, Steve Ravić, zajedno s Vesnom Trokter, Antom Ravićem, Stevenom Haarom, Davidom Vasicom, Juliom Mesić i Rockyjem Ravićom, radi na pripremi prostora i uspostavljanju planova za načine pomoći australskim talentima kroz Arts Villu i povezana partnerstva s inicijativama koje će biti pokrenute 2026. godine.

Međutim, Steve Ravić također je u posljednje dvije godine stavio naglasak na stvaranje svijesti o hrvatskim pričama, neumorno i pedantno radeći na skretanju pozornosti svijeta na potencijal hrvatskih kinematografskih priča za globalnu scenu. Godine 2024. Majestic Film otvorio je oči svijeta u Cannesu kada je Ravić uputio poziv nadolazećem redatelju Branku Periću, čiji je film ‘Diva’ imao produkcijske izazove i nije imao jasan put niti sredstva za dovršetak.

Podrška za završetak i doprinos filmu Diva

Majestic Film je uskočio ne samo kako bi pružio promotivnu platformu za projekt 'Diva', nego i kako bi pomogao dovršiti film te postao pokretačka snaga iza završetka filma, što je uključivalo snimanje dodatnih scena i dovršetak postprodukcije.

Ravić je izjavio: “Glumci su odradili zaista pohvalan posao, a Ornela Vištica u ulozi Dive bila je izvanredna. Stvarno imam samo riječi pohvale za glumačku postavu, a posebno za svoje otkriće, Divu Perković, koju sam uveo kao kasni dodatak filmu kada se Majestic Film uključio. Zapravo me upravo strast Branka Perića prema filmu u početku privukla, pojačana mojom željom da pomognem ispričati hrvatske priče.

Uključio sam nekoliko ključnih ljudi koji su bili apsolutno presudni da dovršetak filma postane stvarnost. To su ti neotpjevani heroji poput mog prijatelja i holivudskog veterana Neila Johnsona iz Empire Motion Pictures, koji je ‘Divi’ dao više kinematografske profinjenosti koja joj je bila potrebna za globalnu publiku, i sjajnog skladatelja Carla Zdenka Tolja, koji nije samo skladao glazbu, nego je proveo mjesecima polirajući zvuk kako bi iz onoga što smo imali izvukao najbolje moguće rezultate, i sve je to radio bez ikakve naknade, samo kako bi pomogao filmu. Također smo angažirali Antu Ravića, koji je pripremio mastere i isporuke kako bi projekt bio dovršen i spreman za prikazivanje, i Vesnu Trokter, koja je pomogla u pakiranju tržišnih prezentacija i PR kampanje. To su pojedinci bez kojih konačni proizvod ne bi bio moguć i sve radili volonterski. Skidam im kapu.”

Vesna Trokter dodala je: “Steve je bio taj koji je inicirao snimanje novih scena; on je bio odgovoran za izbor kćeri Marka Perkovića Thompsona, Dive Perković, za ključnu ulogu u filmu i to je uključivanje doista promijenilo dinamiku filma, a on je proveo mjesece usavršavajući svaki aspekt filma surađujući s Neilom Johnsonom i Carlom Toljem kako bi publici isporučio najbolji mogući rezultat, što se odražava u reakcijama na film. To je bila dužnost potaknuta njegovom strašću i spremnošću da pomogne kolegi redatelju, a sve je to Steve i naš Majestic Film tim odradio volonterski. Također smo sponzorirali film i sve smo učinili za dobrobit hrvatskih interesa i zajedničke ciljeve Stevea i Branka Perića – ispričati hrvatske priče svijetu. Ideja je sada prevesti tu formulu i pružiti istu platformu koju je Majestic Film osigurao, ali kroz naše ambicije s ‘International Croatian Artists Network.’”

Traženje distributera na AFM

Distribucijski pregovori za “Divu” započeli su na AFM-u i sada su u tijeku, a očekuje se da će službena objava biti na Berlinaleu (Berlin Film Festival), u veljači. Ravić je podijelio uvide u izazove marketinga filmova na stranom jeziku, ali je naglasio rastući interes za povijesne hrvatske narative. Rekao je: “Moj je cilj kapitalizirati na zamahu koji smo stvorili s ‘Divom’ i našim Billich dokumentarcima. Uspjeli smo privući koproducente koji su izrazili interes sudjelovati u stvaranju utjecajnih priča, uključujući mogućnost rada s nama na ‘The Last Queen,’ suradnji koju smo započeli između SP Film Production iz Tomislavgrada i Majestic Filma, kako bismo ispričali tragičnu, ali inspirativnu istinitu priču o kraljici Katarini. Međutim, morat ćemo se usredotočiti na snimanje filma na engleskom jeziku kako bismo mogli ispričati važne hrvatske priče većoj publici. Također me zanimaju i neke druge hrvatske priče koje želim oživjeti u godinama koje dolaze.”

Intriga s rock rubom na filmskim tržištima

Intriga ne nedostaje kada je riječ o predstavljanju Majestic Filma na filmskim tržištima, koje često privlači pozornost i prepoznatljivost zahvaljujući Ravićevom zaštitnom znaku – imidžu s rock prizvukom – zbog kojeg je njegovo lice postalo sinonim za filmska tržišta.

William Knochel, izvršni producent i jedan od vlasnika iz Vital Pictures iz SAD-a, bivši Disney i ABC veteran, izrazio je uzbuđenje zbog potencijalnih suradnji, rekavši: “Već dugo imamo odnos sa Steveom i s Majestic Filmom. Sigurno možemo surađivati na koprodukcijama, a također ćemo raditi sa Steveom na drugim projektima. Ravić je pobudio naš interes za uključivanje u koprodukciju hrvatskih priča. Dubina povijesti i kulture koja postoji tamo zaista odjekuje. Bit će to nešto što nikada prije nismo vidjeli. Također, strastveni patriotizam i ljubav prema domovini su iznimno impresivni, a Thompsonov koncert i njegova energija odjekuju u meni kao ponosnom Amerikancu.”

Knochel je nastavio naglašavati svoje poštovanje prema Raviću i potencijal za značajne suradnje na projektima koji će se odvijati u Hrvatskoj i Australiji.

Produženje podrške hrvatskim filmskim stvarateljima

Na AFM-u je Ravić također otkrio planove za podršku hrvatskim filmašima u raznim žanrovima, a AFM je bila savršena prilika da sudionici dobiju dojam o tome što mogu očekivati od jednog od tih redatelja. Misteriozni triler “Cooked With Love” Brune Bilandžije iz Vukovara bio je savršen primjer proširene podrške koja se nudi kroz Majestic Film. Bilandžijina misaona priča kritizira mesnu i mliječnu industrijukroz trilera, a film već izaziva interes prije svog dovršetka početkom 2026. godine. To pokazuje predanost Majestic Filma promociji i fikcijskog i povijesnog hrvatskog sadržaja i njegovom dovođenju na filmska tržišta.

Najava ugovora za Billichov biografski film

Producentica i prodajna izvršna direktorica Vesna Trokter također je najavila novi ugovor koji je sada u fazi finalizacije. “Ne mogu otkriti sve detalje, ali Steve je potpisao Head of Terms sporazum i dobio koprodukcijsku ponudu za naš biografski projekt o stvarnoj životnoj priči Charlesa Billicha, pod naslovom ‘My Way,’ koji je posljednjih godina u snažnom razvoju, a suradnja će osigurati da sam scenarist i kreator projekta, Steve Ravić, režira i koproducira film za koji scenarij stavlja snažan naglasak na hrvatski sadržaj.”

Optimizam za budućnost i dugo iščekivane novosti o Thompsonovu dokumentarcu

Ravić je govorio s optimizmom o budućnosti, naglašavajući važnost dijeljenja hrvatskih priča na globalnoj razini i pružajući uvid u toliko spominjani i s nestrpljenjem očekivani Thompson dokumentarac.

“Dokumentarac je snimljen s ljepotom Hrvatske kao pozadinom, pun zadivljujućih prizora, ali također ističe tragične događaje iz prošlosti kako bi naglasio za što su se Hrvati borili i zašto, sve do samog spektakla, Thompsonova koncerta. Sadržaj filma također će djelovati kao snažno odbacivanje neopravdane negativnosti i dezinformacija koje šire osobe poput gradonačelnika Zagreba Tomislava Tomaševića i njegovih ‘drugovi’, koji lažno označuju domoljublje najpopularnijeg hrvatskog pjevača, Marka Perkovića Thompsona, i njegovih obožavatelja, koje jugo-nostalgičari zajedno s Tomaševićem očito preziru i žele prikazati u negativnom svjetlu.

Hrvatska je veća od toga, a naš će film staviti fokus na emotivna svjedočanstva Thompsonovih odanih fanova iz svih slojeva društva i iz cijelog svijeta, s epskim prizorima i emotivno nabijenom epskom glazbenom podlogom.

Ovo je odgovor na pogrešnu naraciju, s misaonim i iskrenim prikazom onih koji je žive i dišu. Thompson i njegova glazba inspiriraju ljude svih dobnih skupina i nezaobilazan su dio skoro svake svadbe ili zajedničkog slavlja širom svijeta; vole ih praktički svi, od hrvatske nogometne reprezentacije i najvećeg hrvatskog sportskog heroja, nogometaša Luke Modrića, do izbornika nacionalne reprezentacije Zlatka Dalića. Inspirira prvake u borilačkim sportovima poput boksača Filipa Hrgovića do olimpijske zlatne medalistice u taekwondou Matee Jelić. Vole ga poznate javne osobe, od svjetski najpoznatijeg umjetnika Charlesa Billicha do popularne bivše predsjednice Republike Hrvatske Kolinde Grabar-Kitarović, koja je viđena kako javno pjeva Thompsonove pjesme.”

Projekt koji naglašava domoljublje i vjeru zajednički je pothvat Majestic Filma i Morrell Filmsa i trenutno je pri samom kraju produkcije, pri čemu je dio projekta već u postprodukciji.

Ravić je zaključio: “Zahvaljujući podršci i doprinosu naših koproducenata iz Morrell Filmsa, ovaj mega dokumentarni film ispričat će priču o vjeri i ljubavi prema domovini koju odjekuje više od 500.000 glasova i milijun podignutih ruku, svih okupljenih na najvećem koncertu s prodanim ulaznicama u povijesti svijeta, za cijeli svijet da vidi.

To je priča o spektaklu koji budi sjećanje i pruža zahvalnost, most između onih koji su se borili za slobodu i onih koji je danas uživaju. To je svečani podsjetnik na potrebu za mirom i jedinstvom u okruženju u kojem pojedinci nastoje potaknuti podjele lažima i prijevarom.

Ova priča potvrđuje da mrzitelji ne mogu slomiti duh i dostojanstvo naroda koji je kroz povijest toliko patio. To je priča koja će odjeknuti kod globalne publike i kod svakoga tko ima osjećaj ponosa. Pita se kada će je javnost moći vidjeti, iščekivanje je golemo i mogu najaviti da definitivno planiramo lansirati film na najprestižnijem svjetskom filmskom događaju, u Cannes sljedećeg svibnja.”

Piše Petra Antolić

Intervju i komentari: Steve (Stipe) Ravić, Vesna Trokter, Miljenko Matijević and Will Knochel

MAJESTIC RETURN TO HOLLYWOOD - New doors are opening for Croatian cinema

In a flashy return to Los Angeles, Australian-Croatian director and producer Steve Ravić, CEO of Majestic Film, has once again stepped into the spotlight of the global film industry—this time with a clearly defined mission: to connect Croatian artists and promote Croatian content stories at the forefront of international cinema.

Ravić originally launched the mission at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and is transcending it to Hollywood. At this year's American Film Market (AFM), held at Century Plaza in Los Angeles, Ravić and his team unveiled two key initiatives, the International Croatian Artists Network (ICAN) and the Arts Association Australia Inc. (AAA), also announcing completed films along with new developments with an array of ongoing projects, including new films related to Charles Billich and Marko Perković Thompson, as well as feature films "Diva" and "Cooked With Love."

The question that naturally arises is: what can this mean for Croatian cinema?

Launch of ICAN and connecting Croatian talent

The capital of entertainment, Hollywood itself, made the ideal international launch pad for ‘ICAN,’ the ‘International Croatian Artists Network,’ to be headquartered in Zagreb, Croatia, at a historic building neighbouring the Croatian Parliament and Prime Minister’s office. The initiative is fronted by Steve Ravić, together with Vesna Trokter and champion common-law lawyer Don Markušić, himself a film buff who partook in the creation of the latest feature documentary centred around the life of the world’s most prolific living artist, Croatian-Australian Charles Billich. The newly completed documentary ‘Billich 90’ by Steve Ravić was also showcased at AFM and will be released in the coming months. The common denominator is that the founders of ICAN all have ties with both Croatia and Australia.

The new initiative will act both as a platform to introduce Croatian content stories to the world and as a network that will connect Croatian talents from various fields with other Croatian artists and artists promoting Croatian art and culture in the homeland and around the world.

Steve Ravić stated: “This is something that has been completely missing. Not only for young and aspiring artists, but even for well-established and globally recognized names. Many years ago, I did an interview with Australian star A-list actor of Croatian heritage, Eric Bana, for HRT, where he mentioned how he’d love to be able to connect with other Croatians in film.”

The Rock Star speaks

Hollywood-based, internationally acclaimed superstar Miljenko ‘Mili’ Matijević is known for multiple hits on the world’s biggest music chart, the Billboard Hot 100, where his band Steelheart charted with hits like “I’ll Never Let You Go” and “Angel Eyes.” Primarily known for his startling vocal abilities, Mili is also known for touring as the vocalist for the reunion concerts of the original surviving members of the legendary band, The Doors, and for being the voice behind the Hollywood blockbuster movie ‘Rock Star.’

Set to join the likes of Charles Billich as an honorary member of ICAN, Miljenko stated: “Amazing idea my friend Steve Ravić came up with, bringing all the Croatians around the world together. He mentioned to me a couple of people that are directors and in the movie industry that are right here in Los Angeles, that I don’t even know about either, and that is crazy. This idea of connecting us all together is wonderful. I look forward to meeting you great talents artists.”

Miljenko Matijević is now also involved in film production and owns a premium sound and post-production studio at ‘The Lot’ in Hollywood, infamous for being the original Warner Studios and home to Frank Sinatra’s recording history in Hollywood.

Ravić says, “Mili just flew in to LA after a world tour and invited me over to Hollywood that same night with my guests for a few drinks and a bite to eat at the famous SOHO. I joined Mili together with Vesna and my good friend, our Los Angeles colleague Carlos Rincon, President of Prestige International Pictures (formerly executive for sales at Premiere Entertainment), who is coincidentally indirectly responsible for the ICAN initiative moving forward from a concept to a reality. It was Carlos that first introduced me to Croatian-American film director Rafael Primorac, and that was the moment I realized that we really needed to make that key move on the chessboard and establish ICAN. We are building bridges.”

Announcing the founding of Arts Association Australia Inc.

Steve Ravić also announced the founding of ‘Arts Association Australia Inc.’ (AAA), which will have its head office in Melbourne, Australia, at the Arts Villa, which is home to Majestic Film and the Billich Museum and Gallery, the property is home to the joint ventures between the Ravić and Billich Empires, but will also provide the facilities to support arts initiatives, scholarships and workshops through the Arts Association.

Vesna Trokter said, “Australia already has a close community of artists from around the world that get connected through the likes of Screen Australia who can be very helpful in that regard, so AAA will act more as a complementary addition to what is already a formidable and established network. The Arts Association will put more of a focus on providing opportunities for young and aspiring talents by establishing opportunities for them to connect with fellow aspiring artists and help elevate new talents by offering mentorship and introducing them to industry veterans and the world scene and this will also extend to opportunities for the Croatian diaspora in Australia through ICAN”.

Uniting Artists and Aspiring Talents with a focus on Croatia

Both the Croatian and Australian initiatives are designed to unite artists, connect established stars, and provide networking opportunities for aspiring talents while championing platforms at prestigious film festivals and events such as Cannes and AFM.

Not overlooking their base in Australia, Steve Ravić, together with Vesna Trokter, Ante Ravić, Steven Haar, David Vasica, Julia Mesic and Rocky Ravic have been working on preparing facilities and establishing plans for ways to help Australian talent through the the Arts Villa and associated partnerships with initiatives that will launch in 2026.

However, Steve Ravić has also been putting an emphasis on creating awareness of Croatian stories over the last two years, tirelessly and meticulously working on drawing the world’s attention to the potential of Croatian cinematic stories for the global stage. In 2024, Majestic Film opened the eyes of the world at Cannes when Ravić extended an invitation to emerging filmmaker Branko Perić, whose film ‘Diva’ faced production challenges and no clear pathway or funds for completion.

Support for Film Completion of Diva

Majestic Film stepped in not only to provide a promotional platform for the project but to help see the film’s completion and became the driving force behind finishing the film, which included shooting additional scenes and the completion of post-production.

Ravić stated: “The actors did such a commendable job, and Ornela Vištica’s portrayal of Diva was truly remarkable. I really have nothing but praise for the cast and especially for my discovery, Diva Perković, whom I introduced as a late addition to the film when Majestic Film got involved. It was actually Branko Perić’s passion for the film that got me on board in the first place boosted by my desire to help tell Croatian stories.

I involved some key people that were absolutely instrumental in making the movie completion a reality. It’s the unsung heroes like my friend and Hollywood veteran Neil Johnson of Empire Motion Pictures, who gave ‘Diva’ more of the cinematic finesse that it needed for a global audience, and the amazing composer Carlo Zdenko Tolj, who not only scored the music but spent months polishing the audio to draw the best possible results from what we had to work with and he did it without any compensation but to help ‘Diva’. We also recruited Ante Ravić who prepared the masters and deliverables to complete the project and have it screen ready, and Vesna Trokter, who helped package the market presentations and PR campaign. These are the individuals without whom the final product would not have been possible. My hat’s off to them.”

Vesna Trokter added: “It was Steve that initiated the new scenes to be shot; he was responsible for the casting of Marko Perković Thompson’s daughter, Diva Perković, to play a key part in the film and the placement really changed the dynamic of the movie, and he spent months perfecting every aspect of the film collaborating with Neil Johnson and Carlo Tolj to deliver the best possible result for the audiences, and that is reflected in the response to the film. This was a duty fuelled by his passion and willingness to help a fellow filmmaker in distress, and it was all done voluntarily by Steve and our Majestic Film team. We also sponsored the film and did it all for the benefit of the Croatian cause and the common goals of both Steve and Branko Perić, to tell Croatian stories to the world. The idea is to now translate this formula and provide the same platform provided by Majestic Film, but through our ambitions with the ‘International Croatian Artists Network.’”

Distribution Negotiations at AFM

Distribution negotiations for "Diva" commenced at AFM and are now underway, with a formal announcement expected to be made at Berlinale (Berlin Film Festival), in February. Ravić shared insights on the challenges of marketing foreign-language films but emphasized a growing interest in historical Croatian narratives. He said, “My aim is to capitalize on the momentum we created with ‘Diva’ and our Billich documentaries.

We’ve managed to attract co-producers who have expressed an interest in playing a part in creating impactful stories, including the possibility of working with us on ‘The Last Queen,’ a collaboration we started between SP Film Production of Tomislavgrad and Majestic Film, to tell the tragic but inspiring true story of Queen Katarina. However, we will need to focus on doing the film in English so as to be able to tell important Croatian stories to a bigger audience. I also have an interest in some other Croatian stories that I wish to bring to life in the coming years.”

Intrigue with a rock-edge at the Film Markets

There is no shortage of intrigue when it comes to Majestic Film’s representation at the film markets, often drawing attention and a familiarity from Ravić’s trademark image with a rock edge, which has made his face synonymous with the film markets.

William Knochel, Executive Producer and a partner at Vital Pictures from the USA, a former Disney and ABC veteran, expressed excitement over potential collaborations, stating: “We’ve had a long relationship with Steve and with Majestic. We can certainly work together on co-productions, and we’ll also be working with Steve on other projects. Ravić has piqued our interest in getting involved in co-producing Croatian stories. The depth of the history and the culture that’s there really resonates. It's going to be something we’ve never seen before. Also, the passionate patriotism and love for country is so impressive, and the concert by Thompson and its energy resonates with me as a proud American.”

Knochel continued to underscore his respect for Ravić and the potential for significant collaborations for projects to take place in Croatia and Australia.

Extending the support to Croatian Filmmakers

At AFM, Ravić also unveiled plans for supporting Croatian filmmakers in a variety of different genres, and AFM was the perfect opportunity for attendees to get a taste of what to expect from one of those filmmakers. The mystery thriller “Cooked With Love,” by Bruno Bilandžija from Vukovar, was a prime example of the extended support being offered. Bilandžija’s thought-provoking story critiques the meat and dairy industries, and the film is already generating interest before its completion in early 2026. This demonstrates Majestic Film's commitment to promoting both fictional and historical Croatian content and taking it to the film markets.

Deal is being penned for the Billich biopic

Producer and Sales Executive Vesna Trokter also announced a new deal that is now being finalized. “I can’t disclose much, but Steve has signed a Head of Terms agreement and has received a co-production offer for our biopic project about the real-life story of Charles Billich titled ‘My Way,’ which has been in strong development over recent years, and the collaboration will secure the scriptwriter and project creator himself, Steve Ravić to direct and co-produce the movie for which the script has a strong emphasis on Croatian content.”

We anticipate that a full announcement about the deal will be made for the long-awaited biopic about the world’s most renowned living artist in time for the Berlin Film Festival in February.

Optimism for the Future and a highly anticipated update about the Thompson documentary

Ravić spoke with optimism about the future, emphasizing the importance of sharing Croatian stories globally and providing insight into the talked-about and highly anticipated Thompson documentary. 

“The documentary has been filmed with the beauty of Croatia as a backdrop, full of breathtaking scenery but also highlighting tragic events of the past to put an emphasis on what Croatians fought for and why to the spectacle itself, a Thompson concert. The content of the film will also act as a strong dismissal of the unjustified negativity and misinformation being propagated by figures like the Mayor of Zagreb, Tomislav Tomašević and his comrades, falsely labelling the patriotism of Croatia’s most popular singer, Marko Perković Thompson, and his fans, whom the Yugo-nostalgists together with Tomašević evidently detest and want to portray in a negative light.

Croatia is bigger than that, and our film will put a focus on the emotional testimonies of Thompson’s loyal fans, from all walks of life and from all over the world with epic visions and an emotionally charged epic soundtrack.

This is a pushback against the misleading narrative, with a thought-provoking and honest account made by the very people that live it and breathe it. Thompson and his music inspire people of all age groups and is a staple at any wedding or community celebration worldwide; it's loved by everyone from the Croatian national football team and Croatia’s biggest ever sporting hero, footballer Luka Modrić, to national coach Zlatko Dalić. It inspires fight sport champions like boxer Filip Hrgović to Olympic gold medalist in Taekwondo Matea Jelić. It is loved by famous public figures from the world’s most renowned artist Charles Billich to the popular former female President of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović who has been seen singing along to Thompson songs publicly.”

The project emphasizing on patriotism and faith is a joint venture between Majestic Film and Morrell Films, and is currently at the tail end of production, with some of the project already in post.

Ravić concluded: “Thanks to the support of our co-producers at Morrell Films, this epic doco film will tell the story of faith and love for homeland echoed by over 500,000 voices and a million hands raised in the air, all congregating at the biggest ticketed concert in history for the entire world to see.

This is the story of a spectacle that evokes memory and offers gratitude, a bridge between those who fought for freedom and those who enjoy it today. It’s a solemn reminder of the need for peace and unity in a setting where individuals from the outside aim to provoke division with lies and deceit.

This story substantiates those the detesters cannot break the spirit and dignity of a nation that has suffered so much through history. This is a story that will resonate with a global audience and anyone with a sense of pride. I get asked when the public will be able to see it, the anticipation is huge and I can announce that we definitely plan to launch the film at the world’s most prestigious film event, in Cannes next May.”

By Petra Antolić

Interviews and comments from: Steve Ravić, Vesna Trokter, Miljenko Matijević and Will Knochel