Al Mehicevic.
By Melissa Meehan
FROM Springvale to Cannes.
That is the plan for local director Al Mehicevic, but he needs help to make his journey.
The university student knows the trip to the Cannes Film Festival would open up a world of possibilities for his career, but says he needs a sponsor to get him over there.
Sipping on a latte at Springvale’s Café Asmara, one of his major sponsors, Mr Mehicevic speaks about the chance to show his film on the world stage.
“I’m currently in my final year of a Masters in Film and Video at Deakin University,” he said.
“As part of my masters I produced a short film which has been accepted into the St Kilda Film Festival and I am planning to show it at Cannes Film Festival.”
He said that while he started in theatre while living in Europe, he found his true love in directing.
The Bosnian born film maker said he used his own experiences when making a film.
“I lived all over Europe and spent half of my life here,” he said.
“I belong nowhere but everywhere.”
This is evident in his film Razor, a story about an Afghan refugee held at a detention centre in central Australia who makes an unexpected friend in an Australian guard.
“Although it’s not exactly my experiences, I can draw from my own,” he said.
Mr Mehicevic has recently put together his own theatre company named Mostar Vision Motion Pictures.
He said it would act as a base for local actors that he could use in his films.
“People can send me their folios and I will keep them in mind for future projects through that,” he said.
“I want to bring Springvale to the world.”
Razor will screen at the St Kilda Film Festival on May 31 at 6pm.
DVD copies of the movie are available by phoning Mr Mehicevic on 0400 131 770 or from his sponsor Asmara Cafe, 365B Springvale Road. The cafe is offering anyone who purchases the DVD a free coffee.
