Director Dražen Bušić and a crew of 40 professionals start shooting on August 18 at authentic locations in Pakrac and Lipik, with Boris Svrtan and Robert Kurbaša in the lead roles.
Exactly on the day he was abducted 35 years ago, August 18, 2026, filming will begin for a short feature film dedicated to Dr. Ivan Šreter. Director and author Dražen Bušić, along with a crew of 40 professionals and enthusiasts, heads to the field to tell the story of the final days of the Pakrac physician, whose fate still stirs the Croatian public today.
The film, titled "Jezik na smrt" (international title: "The Sentence"), will run about 30 minutes and focus exclusively on the moments of abduction and captivity. It will be shot at authentic historical sites of suffering in the vicinity of Pakrac and Lipik, giving the project a special emotional charge and documentary credibility. The lead roles have been entrusted to celebrated Croatian actors: Boris Svrtan, who plays Dr. Šreter, and Robert Kurbaša, who portrays Dr. Solar.
Although some state institutions have refused to financially support the project, filming is moving forward as a self-financed endeavor using the author's own funds. Logistical support is provided by the Lipik Special Hospital, the Museum of Military and War History, the Pakrac City Museum, and the KPD Sloga cultural society, as well as local residents in various practical ways.
Post-production costs will be covered by the Croatian Medical Chamber, Požega-Slavonia County, and Brod-Posavina County. Results from the Ministry of Veterans' Affairs tender are expected in the fall. Despite financial challenges, no corners were cut in production-the film is being shot with top-tier professional equipment, and some crew members are donating their time and skills free of charge.
After post-production, the film will embark on its own festival run, eventually becoming part of an omnibus of about 80 minutes. This omnibus will consist of two films: a new, remastered version of Bušić's 2009 documentary "Časnik mirotvorac" (The Peacemaker Officer) and "Jezik na smrt." This will provide Dr. Ivan Šreter with a complete cinematic memorial.
"Behind me is a year of exhausting negotiations and navigating bureaucratic labyrinths, but Dr. Šreter and the truth about him cannot wait another day. We're heading to the field on August 18, exactly on the day he was abducted. My collaborators and the actors have breathed life into the idea and script from the very first moment, and I'm confident we'll create a visually powerful, profound, and sincere work. This isn't just a film; it's our debt to a man who embodied peace and humanity," said author and director Dražen Bušić for Narod.hr.
The film's title is a strong allusion to Šreter's historic struggle for the Croatian language, as well as the fact that his peacemaking words and desire for dialogue in the midst of war met with tragic condemnation. The article also recalls the controversy-the government gave six thousand euros for a book by Goran Babić, the man who exposed Šreter, while Pupovac reacted strongly to the mention of the Pakrac physician.
