In this episode of the Showcast, Serbian director Miroslav Lekic talks about his latest film, Russian Consul, Serbia's official submission for the 2025 Oscars. Set in 1973, the film explores the turmoil between Serbs and Albanians in the autonomous province of Kosovo, through the story of an encounter between a Serbian doctor sent to a hospital in Kosovo after a tragic incident in Belgrade and a former history professor who believes to be a representative of Imperial Russia. Lekic will take us behind the scenes, delving into the film's dense historical context and how it traces the origins of tensions between Serbia and Albania, which still resonate today. But beneath this compelling narrative and its dense historical context, the movie is also an exploration of human dignity with a powerful anti-war statement. Russian consul also marks Lekic's second adaptation of a novel by Vuk Draskovic, and the director discusses what drew him to this original work, as well as share stories about his frequent collaborator and friend, the great actor Zarko Lausevic, who passed away in 2023 and whose final performance in Russian Consul is both haunting and unforgettable.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Intro

(02:03) Miroslav Lekic's earliest memories of cinema and filmmaking

(07:20) Based on a Vuk Draskovic novel

(14:24) Connecting with audiences emotionally and intellectually

(16:36) Actor Zarko Lausevic's final film

(20:00) 'The Russian Consul": a political movie?

(23:49) Outro