Steve Ravić (Aus) / Neil Johnson (USA) / Charles Billich (Aus) / Vesna Trokter (Aus)

As the European summer holidays slowly draw to a close and the people settle back into their daily routines, the team at Majestic Film has tirelessly spent the entire summer working on major projects in addition to collaborating with SP Film Production of Tomislavgrad to build the foundations for expansions and future projects in Hercegovina.

The first being the feature film Diva by Branko Perić, a historic drama based on the poignant story of Diva Grabovac, a beautiful Croatian girl assigned to unwillingly marry into the ruling Ottomans. Her resilient story of courage and conviction in refusing to denounce her faith destined her to become a martyr for Christianity and her people.

Diva enjoyed a prestigious premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May and will have a domestic premiere in Mostar on September 18 at the distinguished Hrvatski Dom Herceg Stjepan Kosača. Not only will this be a movie premiere, but it will mark the beginning of long-term aspirations for film in the region.

NEW OFFICIAL TRAILER: https://youtu.be/tNAZc93XcjY 

Over the years, Steve Ravić has been lobbying for the Croatian government to invest more in Croatian content film and advocating for the inclusion of veterans of the homeland war for independence to participate in society rather than just brushing them off. At his first ACAP (Association of Croatian American Professionals) conference speaking engagement in San Jose, California, in 2018, Ravić addressed the importance of promoting genuine Croatian culture and history through film and entertainment. He also proudly announced that he was on a mission to dispel the negative myths about the Croatian people, especially those in the diaspora and public figures like Marko Perković Thompson, who is often intentionally misrepresented in the media due to neo-communist Yugoslav propaganda.

Ravić states, “Through correct and truthful representation in film and reporting, we can change the misconceptions that have been generated through decades of Yugo-communist propaganda used by the communist echo chambers they have used divert attention away from the real peacetime genocide Communist Yugoslavia committed against the Croatian people and the subsequent ethnic cleansing through persecution, driving almost half the Croatian population into exile.”

The 2023 ACAP conference was held in Zagreb, Croatia, in July, and the event was organized and hosted by renowned common law lawyer Don Markušić (President of the Croatian chapter of ACAP). The prestigious conference was attended by the President of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, and the current Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, among other dignitaries.

Ravić spoke to the audience through both the Veterans and Film panels, stressing the desperate need for more inclusion and opportunities for war veterans and the importance of creating more Croatian content film, stating, “The battle still continues for all of those that served because they have to live with the reality of what they survived. We need to not only appreciate their service, but we need to make a contribution towards them. Not just throw them into a corner and say, here’s a token pension. Let’s bring them into the community; let’s give them opportunities,” to which the audience cheered and applauded.

Addressing the problem of the lack of historic stories, Ravić stated, “We do not have content that represents our heritage—especially our identity. We didn’t start in 1990. We have a long history, and we need to show that to the rest of the world.”

Steve Ravić spoke about his ongoing film projects about the world’s most celebrated living artist Charles Billich and how such iconic figures can draw global interest in Croatian culture and history, suggesting that “through stories like this (Charles Billich)—Marko Perković Thompson—Luka Modrić, Zlatko Dalić” as primary examples and further suggesting, “The Croatian Government, HAVC (film commission of the Government), possibly need advisors, like I was doing for the Australian Government. They (the Australian Government) would ask, 'Steve, how can we do things better?' And I would give them advice. I have the on-ground experience; the bureaucrats don’t have the experience.

What Croatia needs is to stop throwing money into this black pit (but rather) provide incentives. It’s the same circle of people, the same pool of people that are getting the money. What we really need is equality in opportunity. Maybe a little advice for the Croatian bureaucrats: Make some changes. Talk to us. We’d like to bring what we have in Australia to Croatia. Fortunately, Croatia is a wonderful place to film, and that’s an incentive for growth.”

After not seeing any progress, a frustrated Ravić stated, “Rather than just talking the talk, I decided to walk the walk,” and in 2024, Ravić set out to pledge half of the Majestic Film stand at the official Cannes Film Festival market to Croatian content films and invited former war veteran and filmmaker Branko Perić to showcase his films.

Branko Perić never imagined he would go to Cannes in his “wildest dreams”, pointing out: "No matter how glamorous and fairy-tale like you imagine the biggest film festival in the world to be, when you come to Cannes, you will be surprised. The small, beautiful town on the Cote d'Azur showcases the world of cinema in every corner. From ordinary, small details in shops to big parties in nightclubs, which last until late at night.

Majestic Film, or better said the owner Steve Ravić, hosted me at their booth, where I had the opportunity to present my work. I met a great number of people, some selling films, others buying, some representing their countries and cultures. I am immensely grateful to Steve for his support and this opportunity. Without his help, coming to Cannes as a director would be almost impossible.”

Majestic Film promoted the completed film Rebel (Hajduk) by Branko Perić and his current project Diva, which at the time was still in production through SP Film Production. Ravić committed to premiering the film at the world’s most prestigious film event, Cannes, through Majestic Film in 2025 if the film was completed on time. Australian Croatian Valentin Perković, who was also a veteran of the Croatian homeland war for independence, also attended the event and was later cast for a part in the movie Diva. This demonstrated that Ravić’s ambition to connect Croatian talent was now in full play.

Perić managed to pull off the production on a very small budget. Ravić stated, “What Branko accomplished on a shoestring budget was not only commendable but miraculous, so I offered to sponsor the completion stage and the marketing of the film at Cannes in 2025.”

As promised, Perić completed the film, and Majestic Film subsequently hosted the world premiere of Diva at Cannes in 2025. Vesna Trokter added, “Considering the amount of international interest that was being generated and not wanting it to look just like a television soap to global audiences, we collectively decided that Diva could do with a few more scenes and some spectacular cinematographic moments of which it was deprived due to lack of budget.

I also suggested for Branko to cast Diva Perković (daughter of singer Marko Perković) for the additional scenes based on the fact that I have paid close attention to her development as a talented performer in her own right and her drive to be an on-camera entertainer, and taking into account that she was named after Diva Grabovčeva, Branko agreed and was so astonished by the acting of Diva Maria Perković that he extended her role and committed to an additional day of filming.

I then proceeded to recruit my decades-long friend and colleague Neil Johnson, a long-time film industry professional and film director from the United States who was in Croatia working with me on the highly anticipated Marko Perković Thompson-related documentary. Our intention was to draw out more of a cinematic experience for the audiences of Diva and to be in the region where it was produced for additional pick-up shots, and so that Perić could be on hand to oversee the revised edits and post-production.

I also need to commend the fact that the initiative for us to be on location in Hercegovina in August was driven by Dr. sc. Jozo Bagarić, who valued the importance of our contribution and wanted to help the Diva project realise its fullest potential through additional post-production.

We could only make this complete with the right music so I recruited Carlo Zdenko Tolj to do the score for the movie. Tolj’s ancestry is also from the region and he was more than happy to contribute his music towards the movie, incorporating some traditional sounds from Hercegovina.

The completed film is now solid and I need to commend the amazing delivery of such renowned actors together with all the devotion and efforts invested into the project by Branko, Mara and SP Film Production, but I want to stress the fact that if Branko and his team had more financial support when it was needed during the production phase, we can only imagine how much more could have been achieved with this film.

This is why we need to use this opportunity with the promotion of Diva to emphasise the importance of broader support and investment into future productions with the next major project in Bosnia and Herzegovina being Katarina, based on the true story of Queen Katarina Kosača (Queen Catherine), which is currently being scripted by Mara Perić. We have already announced the project to be in development at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

While in Bosnia and Hercegovina, Neil Johnson of Empire Motion Pictures, myself, and Vesna Trokter of Majestic Film together with Branko Perić went on some location scouting for future films, including the ruins of the first Catholic church that was built by Queen Katarina, shown to us by Željko Lovrić in Kupres.

Over the last two years, I have become attracted to places in Hercegovina that would be ideal locations for filming parts of the Billich biopic movie My Way. I also felt this would truly bring global attention to the region of Hercegovina, which is also the heartland of historic Croatia and where the first Independent Kingdom of Croatia was founded in 925 by King Tomislav. Until this very day, Croatians still continue to be the majority population after centuries of turmoil and invasions, which truly demonstrates the resilience of the people of the region and why we are here today,” Ravić concluded.

Having painted Queen Katarina and Medjugorje, the master surrealist Charles Billich was himself attracted by the very idea of filming in the region and continues to be intrigued by Hercegovina. His enthusiasm about the prospect of some of the biopic representing his life story being filmed in the region led him to express a desire to travel to Hercegovina after flying to Croatia to attend the record-breaking Thompson show in Zagreb on July 5, 2025, where he presented his original oil painting on canvas of Marko Perković Thompson to the man himself on stage in front of over 500,000 people.

Billich was to fulfil his desire to once again visit the Catholic church in Medjugorje, and while in Hercegovina, Billich met with the team at SP Film Production, who have already been collaborating with Majestic Film on the Billich film projects. Some experimental filming was conducted, and parts of the footage were used in the new documentary Billich 90, depicting his youth through re-enactments. The documentary was completed in 2025 and also premiered at Cannes.

A big connoisseur of fine wine, Billich’s visit was hosted by good friends of Ravić and Majestic Film, the Ćorić family, at their spectacular winery Podrumi Andrija in Paoča, Čitluk, where Charles Billich was pampered with exquisite premium wines from the winery and mouth-watering cuisine from Hercegovina. The welcoming group proposed a toast to Billich and future film projects and arts initiatives in the region. 

After visiting the church in Medjugorje, Billich flew out of Split, Croatia to Paris, France where he would be acknowledged by UNESCO for his Olympic art contributions and where a Billich exhibition would be launched on September 5, 2025. 

The collaboration between Majestic Film and SP Film Production is in itself a symbolic gesture, as SP is based in Tomislavgrad and Steve (Stipe) Ravić’s paternal ancestry is from Široki Brijeg. Ravić stated, “It’s somewhat of a homecoming, and I feel that inner drive to seek recognition of our people’s history in Hercegovina. It’s become a personal mission.

Another story of particular personal interest to me is the tragic mass murder of the Franciscan friars and priests from the monastery in Široki Brijeg and surrounding regions, which extended into peacetime. The Yugoslav Partisans pummeled the church in Široki Brijeg with over three hundred projectiles in February of 1945, after which they stormed the monastery, executing the friars and priests that were protecting historic archives pertaining to Croatian and religious history in the region from over the centuries.

The Yugoslav Partisans proceeded to destroy everything, including plaques that bore the name of God, along with the dedication to the Assumption of Mary, and later proceeded to burn the monastery itself.”

Steve Ravić and Vesna Trokter, together with Neil Johnson, went to Široki Brijeg to document the events of the tragic story that happened eighty years ago.

The truth may have been buried in Hercegovina for what Yugoslavia hoped to be eternal, but generations of Croatians have not rested in hope that the truth will one day be revealed, and so it was the case with the collapse of communism in Europe in 1990.

There is not enough being done to tell these stories to the rest of the world, but I strongly believe that we have an ideal platform for a far greater reach through film and the arts. So, we are currently in the process of initiating an international arts association through our lawyer Don Markušić aimed at Croatian artists to use as a platform for networking and collaborating on projects. It will serve as an avenue for Croatian filmmakers and other Croatian artists from all over the world and Croatia to connect.”

The initiative being undertaken by Ravić promises to be a productive avenue for Croatian talent from all over the world to connect and unite, and it will also welcome aspiring talents wanting to collaborate on various types and styles of projects, including fictional storytelling, to further extend opportunities for all Croatian filmmakers and artists.

Steve Ravić will be attending the premiere of Diva in Mostar on September 18, which will also be attended by a number of surprise stars and dignitaries.