Croatian actor Goran Bogdan, who lives between Belgrade and Zagreb, has been a favorite of the local audience for years, and at this year's FEST, we will see him in several films and in several different roles, and fans of his work will enjoy the films ‘That's It for Today’ (Za danas toliko, Serbia), ‘Good Times, Bad Times’ (Pamtim samo sretne dane, Croatia) and ‘No Way Home’ (Bez povratka, Great Britain). We caught Goran Bogdan for a brief moment between two screenings, and here is how he experienced this year's FEST.
The statistics of the 52nd FEST show that you are the record holder for the number of roles
at this year's festival. How many are there? Five?
That is not true (laughs), someone counted it wrong. I think I have three films. We shot with Nevio (Marasović) in 2019. Which was about five years ago, we filmed the English film eight and nine years ago. Therefore, it just happened. And thank God those films are finally out. That is just how it is, troubles with independent productions. This is a normal path of independent productions, which, of course, is not normal at all. However, man gets used to everything. I have to praise Nevio, who is shooting his fifth film in that way, with many difficulties. I do not even know how much courage it takes, because it is a totally quixotic undertaking. True heroism in
culture and art.
We are lucky to see you in a film in a foreign language this year at FEST?
I think that is good. Fortunately, that is the nature of my job and I like it that way. On the other hand, I hope that there will be more such situations and that there will be some more films abroad. I am happy as long as they want me.
Do you have the impression that you are currently the most popular actor in our region?
I feel at home everywhere. And that is the task of art. Art is universal. The only correct division in cinema is between good and bad films. A film can be both good and bad, and it is hard to make a bad film. And that should be appreciated - the effort put into it, and a good film happens. It is something that does not depend on us and that we often try to overcome. Don not blame us when we fail, but praise us when we succeed!
We are used to seeing you in various roles, how do you rank them?
The most difficult for me is always the film I am currently working on. Those which are behind me are always a beautiful memory and remain in memory as such. While shooting, I try to beone hundred percent in the film I am making, to be THERE AND NOW, and each role is as much a pleasure as it is a problem that needs to be solved. And it is kind of evenly 50:50 for me. Completed roles are a memory, a beauty, like a small victory, and just to make a joke: as the title of one of these films at FEST reads, ‘I only remember happy days’ (Pamtim samo sretne dane (Good Times, Bad Times)).
