SYNOPSIS
After his father’s suicide, a young artist goes on a journey down the river to find himself, his artistic and personal freedom in this thought-provoking arthouse production.
The film gives a nod to the Yugoslav Black Wave style of filmmaking that revolutionised Yugoslav cinema in the 1960’s and is based on the novel by Serbian artist, painter and film director Mica Popovic with the screenplay written by Jovan Popovic and directed by Nenad Pavlovic.
NENAD PAVLOVIC
Director
Born 1979 in Yugoslavia. Studied Film at the University of Arts in Belgrade. Made his directorial debut in 2022 with a critically acclaimed feature film 'Trail of the Beast'.
Wanderlust' is his second feature, set to premiere in 2025.
FILMOGRAPHY
Wanderlust (2025)
Trail of the Beast (2023) (TV mini-series)
Trail of the Beast (2022)
Žigosani u reketu (2019) (TV series)
Sektor (2008) (short)
Otelo (2003) (short)
Black Inside the Soul (2001) (short)
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
‘Wanderlust’ is a black & white avant-garde indie movie, set in dark and murky tones, with themes of tragedy, suicide, solitude, remorse, empathy, passion, desire, decay and rejuvenation, while touching upon numerous symbols and metaphors from various religions, cultures and mythologies.
Its metaphysical structure is grounded in the philosophy of Existentialism, which emphasises each individual as a free person determining their own development through the acts of the free will.
Placed in a dystopian world, full of grotesque and vivid characters from the margins of society, it resembles a Kafkaesqian - Orwellian social bureaucratic system. However pessimistic the story may sound, it actually praises life, love and passion.
CAST
STEFAN VUKIC
Toma
During his first decade as an actor, Stefan Vukic performed in 30 film and televisionroles.
Born in 1991 in Belgrade, Serbia, Stefan is a distinguished Serbian theatre, television, and film actor. His career spans a diverse range of roles across various media, with notable performances in ‘Kljun’ (2021) and ‘Vreme zla’ (2021).
His dedication to his craft and versatility have established him as a prominent figure in contemporary Serbian cinema and theatre. In ‘Wanderlust’, he portrays a young artist on a journey of self-discovery.
Stefan is recognized for his versatility and ability to authentically portray diverse characters, which has earned him a reputation as a talented young actor on the Serbian scene.
MILENA RADULOVIC
The Girl
Born in 1995 in Belgrade, Milena landed her first major role at the age of 20 in the TV series ‘One Summer Night’. Her career continued to rise with roles in the series ‘Besa’, ‘Pet’, ‘Toma’ and others.
On the big screen, she stood out with her role as nurse Jasna in the 2019 Russian-Serbian production ‘The Balkan Line’.
Milena is also known in Serbia and the region for her social activism.
She remains one of the most promising young actresses in the region, recognized for her talent, dedication, and courage.
DENIS MURIC
The Younger Worker
Born in Kosovo 1999, Denis Muric is a distinguished Serbian actor known for his remarkable performances in domestic film and television productions. He gained wider public attention with the lead role in the 2014 film ‘No One's Child’ (which earned two prizes in Venice), where he portrayed a boy raised by wolves, earning him recognition and critical acclaim.
He continued to build his career with roles in various projects, including the film ‘Golden Boy’, in which he played a talented footballer facing the challenges of fame and crime.
Muric is known for his passion for acting and the variety of characters and situations he can portray, which stands him out amongst his peers.
DRAGAN BJELOGRLIC
Toma’s father
Famous Serbian actor, screenwriter and producer. He has won 15 major film awards at domestic festivals and over 20 international awards. He has been a producer for 30 years, and a director for the last 15 years.
Bjelogrlic made his acting debut at the age of 15, followed by numerous roles in TV series, short and feature films.
This is his second collaboration with Nenad Pavlović. In 2022, Bjelogrlic played one of the roles in Pavlović’s film ‘Trail of the Beast’.
MIKI MANOJLOVIC
Colonel
Miki Manojlovic is a Serbian actor, famous for his starring roles in some of the most important films of Yugoslav cinema. Throughout his career, Manojlovic has appeared in over 100 film and TV projects, earning numerous international accolades.
He is perhaps best known internationally for his collaborations with director Emir Kusturica, including starring roles in his major Cannes winners: 'When Father Was Away on Business' (1985) and 'Underground' (1995). Since the early 1990s, he has successfully branched out into movies made outside the Balkans and became active in productions all over Europe.
He not only played one of the leading roles in the ‘Wanderlust’ director's feature debut 'Trail of the Beast', but at the very beginning of his career, he also appeared in the famous Yugoslav film ‘The Hunt’, directed by Zivojin Pavlovic, Nenad’s father.
our team
predrag popovic
Producer
Predrag's career in journalism and photography started in Yugoslavia in the ‘80s followed by a digital entertainment career in the mid ‘80s when he authored a highly-rated video game in the UK.
In 1995, Predrag founded Finsoft, a leading UK software house. Over the years, he has expanded his interests and holdings into several related areas, creating a dynamically connected group of highly successful digital entertainment companies.
Having co-produced one feature film (‘Don't Bet on the Brits’ - 2021) and one documentary (‘Celestial Theme: The Story of Vlada Divljan’ - 2019), he is now presenting his first independent production, the film ‘Wanderlust’.
milos Djukelic
Producer
Miloš is the founder of Red Production, a network of film and TV commercials production companies with offices in Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, and beyond.
He started his creative career in film, advertising, and media around 1997. Today, he is recognized not only as a director but also as a prominent film producer, known for his excellent taste and sophisticated balance between art and successful sales.
“Primarily producing genre movies for the UK and US markets, more recently he has been collaborating with the finest of the European Art House cinema authors. His last project is "The Disappearance of Josef Mengele" directed by Kirill Serebrennikov, with whom he is also staging theatre plays around Europe. Miloš is the main producer of films featuring award winning actors such as Adrien Brody, John Malkovich and Antonio Banderas among the others...
jovan popovic
Screenwriter
Known mainly for his work in television and theatre, this is Jovan’s first film screenplay. He based it on the 1953 novel by his father, the renowned Serbian painter, writer, and director Miodrag Popovic.
Although primarily a playwright, Jovan is also the author of two novels. In his writing, he frequently explores the condition of a modern man, torn between his freedoms and rights on the one hand and the minimal responsibility he assumes toward the society on the other.
bojana andric, SAS
Director of Photography
Richly experienced in all film formats and graced with the ability and skills to adapt to different projects and director’s styles, she has so far shot eight feature films and more than 400 episodes of various TV programmes. She shoots digitally, but also loves the analogue film process (35mm, s16mm, s8 mm). Bojana is a regular invitee to film festivals, as well as many masterclasses and panels.
“Wanderlust” is her second collaboration with Nenad Pavlović - three years ago, she was the Director of Photography on his debut feature film ‘Trail of the Beast’, winning a National award at a Serbian film festival for her work in the mini-series. Which followed.”
filip mitrovic
Composer
An Emmy and Grammy-nominated Serbian-American composer and producer based in Los Angeles, California. He started his career by joining the film music scoring collective, Tomandandy, where he contributed his original music to many blockbuster features, including the 'Resident Evil' franchise. He was also the protegee of the famed composer Angelo Badalamenti, who helped him get his own start as a film composer in Hollywood.
He has composed music for nearly 20 films and TV shows, including Donald Glover's ‘Guava Island’ and the Netflix Original ‘Four Seasons In Havana’.
His music premiered at Carnegie Hall in 2010, soon after which he signed with EMI.
He is 1/2 of the artist project Dark Bardo, featuring Shungudzo, St Lucia, Haerts and PWNT.
GALLERY
