‘I’M HAPPY TO PLAY STRONG, SPECIAL, AUTHENTIC WOMEN’: Jovana Stojiljković for KURIR: ‘It’s important to know when to take a break

After two nominations, Jovana Stojiljković has finally received The Heart of Sarajevo Award for Best Actress. The actress was awarded at the Sarajevo Film Festival for the role of the triple agent Vera Pešić in the TV series Vera. In her interview with Kurir, she talks about Sarajevo, the new season of Južni Vetar (The South Wind), a new collaboration with Maja Miloš, and the decision not to film this summer.

“I am honoured to have been invited for several years now to the film festival in Sarajevo, from the first film – Panama, by Pavle Vučković, which premiered regionally in Sarajevo, to being on the jury panel for the main programme, and, in recent years, as The Heart of Sarajevo programme participant in the category of television series. The city lives in a special way during the festival, which has a high-quality programme with various categories, workshops, and conversations with guests, as well as an opportunity to just meet up with colleagues… It’s really great being in Sarajevo at this time.”

You have won The Heart of Sarajevo for the role of Vera Pešić in the TV series Vera, which we have watched on the RTS. What do awards mean to you?

“I’m very happy and grateful to have won The Heart of Sarajevo. It is wonderful that the festival organizers have recognized the importance of TV series and focused also on this evening of the ceremony, when we can all gather together and congratulate each other on jobs well done and the efforts put in last year. The recognition is all the more delightful knowing that it comes from all the colleagues that had voted.”

You were remarkable in your roles as Vera Pešić and Sofija Maraš. Which of the two roles was a greater challenge and why?

“They are entirely different roles, and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to play strong, special, and authentic women. They’re both a challenge in their own way. The role of Sofija has been around for a few years, as part of The South Wind seasons, and it is developing, growing, and changing. I’m glad that in this way I have the opportunity to think and develop a character. Vera Pešić was a challenge in and of itself – an authentic historical figure that little is known about, and yet there is the responsibility to make the main role stable, vivid, and authentic. I had invested quite a bit of effort, time, and creativity in that project, and I hope that it is all worth it.”

Do Vera and Sofija have something in common as women?

“They have a special sort of strength, but then it’s hard to compare the context of the eras in which the plots are set. On top of that, of course, Vera is a historical figure, unlike Sofija.”

Vera has brought us the first TV series with a woman as a protagonist.

“The TV series Vera is one of the few series in which a woman is a protagonist, but I do hope that in the future there will be more such projects, good stories about women, and female roles.”

We will continue seeing Sofija. What fate awaits her, do you think?

“We will, but I’m not sure what we can expect. I like surprises myself, so I’ll see when I get the script for the new season.”

The film Pukotina U Ledu (A Crack in the Ice), which you collaborated on with Maja Miloš, will be presented at the Sarajevo Film Festival. What was it like in Cinderella’s shoes?

“It’s a special film, story, and acting challenge. I can’t wait for the post-production to be over and see the film. The script is inspired by fairy tales, i.e. by the main story of Cinderella, but placed in today’s world, in the modern society, in which a girl is trying to come to love and accept herself despite all the difficulties. It was challenging and great, and I’m very grateful for being part of such a powerful and authentic story.”

Will this be a generational film, given that your partners are your acting cohort colleagues Marko Grabež and Anđela Jovanović?

“Yes, they are my dear friends from my cohort, and it was wonderful working together. We’ve known each other for years, we grew up together as actors, and it’s delightful when we get a chance to be in the same shot. Knowing each other so well, we don’t need many words to agree on something, and, most importantly, we trust each other unconditionally.”

Actors film over the summer. Are you working on something new?

“I used to work almost every summer, but this summer I’ve decided to get a good rest and enjoy being with people close to me in my free time. It’s important to find a natural balance and to know when you should take a little break and get some rest. After that, I hope to be part of exciting projects and new challenges.”

The Sarajevo Film Festival, whose exclusive partner UNIQA Insurance is also providing insurance for the festival, will last until 18 August.

(Kurir.rs/Lj.Radanov)