SPECTACLE MARKS THE OPENING OF FIREFLY STUDIOS: Gala dinner and Bregović's concert to remember
With the opening of the state-of-the-art studio complex in the region, a new chapter of the Western Balkan film industry has begun.
The leading and award-winning production company Firefly, which operates under the WMG Company, has officially opened a state-of-the-art complex consisting of film studios aptly named Firefly Studios. In addition to guests from the world of film and culture, political, diplomatic and business figures attended the gala dinner held to celebrate the opening. This is the best studio complex in the region, spanning 12,500 square metres. It has 3 studios, a swimming pool for underwater filming and ancillary rooms. The opening of Firefly Studio is a step forward on the international stage, not only for WMG and Firefly but also for the entire film industry in Serbia and the region.
Igor Žeželj, founder and Chairman of WMG’s Managing Board, under which Firefly operates, proudly pointed out that the opening of the Firefly studio promoted the highest production standards in the country and the region.
"We hope that, aside from having a positive impact on our business, Firefly Studios will bring multiple benefits to our country as well, because, in addition to being a space for attracting new investments and fostering additional training of film workers, the Studio will help Serbia to lead the entire region in the direction of becoming an indispensable destination for the global film industry," said Mr Žeželj and thanked everyone who participated and helped in the implementation of this project.
Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, pointed out that the Serbian government understood that the creative and film industries were extremely important for the country.
"Compared to 2010, the audio-visual budget has increased 130 times. I believe that this is just the beginning since we have been missing infrastructure and infrastructure is exactly what we got with Firefly Studios. There is always a synergy between what the state recognizes and does, what the private sector does and investments in the economy. Today is an important day for that synergy and I would like to thank everyone who has backed up this ambitious project because you helped us as a country to bring even more productions and investors here and to promote Serbia in an even better way", said the Serbian PM, Ana Brnabić.
Ivana Miković, co-founder and director of Firefly Productions, began her speech with a review of how the idea of opening such a studio came about. She recalled the period when Miljen Kreka Kljaković talked to her about his work abroad and said: "If we had real Hollywood-like studios here, big foreign investors would come as well. And I would finally sleep in my own bed."
In 2018, the company was founded, and a year later, it merged with Wireless Media and the figurative ball started rolling very quickly. In the same year, Telekom began seriously working on the content. Ms Miković concluded the speech by stating that she was living her American dream and that now Kreka can sleep in his own bed.
"Time will show the importance of what we did," Ivana said and thanked her family, friends and the Firefly team.
FIREFLY STUDIOS is a complex that contains premium film and TV studios with comprehensive ancillary services, the only one of its kind in the region. It consists of 3 studios - two spanning 2,000 square metres which are 15m high and one spanning 760 square metres and being 12m high. The studios are one-of-a-kind in the region in terms of their supporting facilities, which include a swimming pool for underwater filming measuring 10mx15mx3.5m, a set spanning 4 hectares with 4,500 square metres of auxiliary rooms, which the film industry needs. The complex is located in Pančevo, half an hour's drive from downtown Belgrade.
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