director Zoran Lisinac. I can say that I’ve felt the scent of Hol- lywood, but I always had so much work in Serbia that I couldn‘t hop across the pond. It was nice for me here.” You’ve had excellent roles in the theatre. Are you planning some role in the theatre again? “No. eatre is my beautiful past. I’ve performed in over 4,000 plays. I got sick of getting changed every night. I haven‘t been playing in the theatre for the last 25 years.” What’s it like to work with Danica Ristovski, who’s a great actress and your wife? “Danica worked arduously for her entire life and now she’s getting the beautiful recompense. She recently performed in the two most popular TV series: Game of Destiny, as the character of Lila, and in Dream Team as the heroine Jovanka. Now kids stop her on the street to ask for an autograph and to take a picture with her. I just keep walking while she gets her picture taken.” Both of your sons are part of the family’s factory of creativity... “Our sons are primarily trustworthy people. We taught them chivalry and honesty, and I think we succeeded in that. Petar has already shown, and will continue to show, his talent for directing, and Jovan works with us in production at Zillion film. We’ve had a family business for 25 years already. We weren’t born yesterday.” Are there advantages to a life of acting in Serbia to- day, or is it harder than it was when you started? “Everyone always says that things used to be better. ey are right! You know why!? We used to be young, so everything was nice for us. Being young is nice, but I wouldn’t go back even a single year. I find it nice now. If I went back to the past, I would work less, because I did too much and too strenuously.” In which other art forms have you found yourself? “When I wasn‘t employed in my line of work, I wrote. I have two short novels and two collections of short stories, which I think are very good. ey had several editions at Laguna and sold in thousands of copies. I will have to continue writing. at would make me happy.” What have you yet to achieve in your life? “If I said that I’ve achieved everything, that would be a
sign that I can die. However, I believe that I have some more work to do in this world. If that happens to be good, you‘ll know about it.” What has life taught you? “ at it is a road which has changeable weather. One minute it‘s rain and fog that I’m roaming through, the next it‘s sunny and bright, so my path is clear. e smells of childhood often reminded me of the things my parents taught me. I grew up in poverty, which was somehow distributed fairly. e sounds of my homeland often reminded me to find my internal purity and understanding for everyone‘s misfortune, and to help them as much as I’m able. And still the city hydra often grabbed me with its jaws, so I both hated and did evil. I can’t forgive my- self for that, but it’s the truth.” Where do you like travelling to the most and which destination would you gladly visit for the first time? “Travel is an important aspect of human nature. It is on their travels that a person matures. ey measure themselves up against others and thus create a clearer picture of self. I love being on the open waters. On the sea. I like sailing.” Do you like flying by plane and where would you most like to visit? “Yes. Isn‘t it a blessing to cover such distances in a short period? To some faraway destination.” How do you most often spend your time aboard Air Serbia’s planes? “I always sit by the window. I also used to sit by the win- dow on the train. My father was a railroad worker, so we had free train tickets. Every summer he would take us from Ravno Selo in Vojvodina to his home village in Macedonia. I would look at the lights high on the mountains at night and imagine the people who lived there. at curiosity still grips me today when I travel by plane. I watch people on the ground, rushing somewhere in their cars. ey rush too much. On one of my first flights, I thought the light on the wing of the plane was a star that was following us. I always laugh about that even to- day when I see the light on the wing of the plane. at naive- ty restores my good mood.”
Interview » Intervju | 27
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