The documentary “Soldiers Love Forever”, directed by Željko Mirković, won the award for the best feature-length documentary at the just-concluded Best Istanbul Film Festival. The film was produced by the Military Film Center “Zastava Film” and Optimistic Film from Belgrade. It tells a timeless story about the search for love and meaning of life, through the testimonies of the same soldiers, from 20 years ago and today.

“Twenty years ago, after completing my basic studies in film and television directing, I spent the second part of my military service in ‘Zastava film'”, Mirković explains and adds that he filmed his first film “Sodlier’s Love” while serving there, about his comrades served the first part of his military service, young men with different destinies, from different parts of the former Yugoslavia, immediately after the 1999 NATO bombing. These young men lived their love stories and fantasized about the future in a unique way. Twenty or more years later, I decided to look for these guys and make a story about them and their values ​​today, after so much time has passed.

Plakat filma “Vojničke ljubavi zauvek” (Foto “Optimistic film)

The film “Soldiers’ Love Forever” lasts 54 minutes, and before the award in Turkey, it won the Grand Prix at the “Golden Booklet” festival. Director Mirković is both the screenwriter and producer, and the rest of the crew include director of photography is Žarko Pekez, composer Dejan Ilijić, editor Pavle Nikić, and producer is also Colonel Goran Ikonić.

“Zastava Film is proud of the fact that the film ‘Military Love Forever’ was awarded at the Istanbul Film Festival.” It is a story of love and family that form the foundation and represent the universal value of every society. For 74 years, our film company has been producing films that have won numerous international awards, so this award returns “Zastava Film” to the old path of success, which gives it special significance, “said Goran Ikonić, producer and director of “Zastava film”.