Dzeletovic: Premiere of the film 'Harvest' about organ trafficking in Kosovo next autumn, featuring actor Bikovic

"The long-awaited film 'Harvest' about the suffering of the innocent Serbs in Kosovo before the war, abductions, and human organ trafficking, is expected to be screened in cinemas next autumn. As Veselin Dzeletovic, the author of the novel 'Srpsko srce Johanovo' (The Serbian Heart of Johann), on which the film is based, highlights, numerous well-known names from the world of cinema are involved in this project, both from the domestic film industry and Hollywood. One of them, as revealed to Kosovo Online, is the young Serbian actor Milos Bikovic.

Dzeletovic said that the first clapboard fell last Monday, officially marking the start of work on the film, which will 'enable the whole world to hear the real truth - who is the victim in Kosovo, and who is the criminal'.

With the words 'truth is like a river, it always finds its way', the author of one of the most emotional stories from the Balkans explains how he connected with Hollywood producers and got the opportunity to have the true story about a German who received the heart of a Serb abducted in Kosovo brought to the screen.

'The film is produced by our production in collaboration with Hollywood producers. Bandof film is the main producer. This is my long-awaited dream; I've been waiting for this film for five years, not just for the film itself, but because it's my way of fighting to preserve my homeland. You know, no one can ever take away memories from your homeland. When your homeland is occupied like mine, I think this is a way we can fight together to preserve it, and we can defeat them with the strongest weapons, which are truth and culture. We started filming the movie, the first clapboard fell on Monday, and many scenes that were planned have been filmed. It's based on my novel about organ trafficking in the Kosovo and Metohija region', Dzeletovic said.

He emphasizes that it is particularly important for the film to highlight the fact that abductions and human organ trafficking in Kosovo did not occur in the "whirlwind of war" but during times of peace, in plain view of the international community that remained silent.

Such messages, he adds, will trigger a cascade of numerous questions about humanity, justice, truth, faith, differences, and, ultimately, the crucial question of "on what foundations the false state of Kosovo rests".

"What I emphasize is that this is a story that happened not in the turmoil of war but in peacetime when the entire international community watched what was happening down there and did not react. When it witnessed the kidnapping of people, it remained silent; when it saw the destruction of the greatest Serbian holy sites, it remained silent and did not speak out, and now it is time for us to speak out. With the truth, we now have the opportunity to go out into the world, and the truth is like water, it always finds its way. So will this story of the suffering of the Serbs find its way", Dzeletovic said.

The film "Harvest", like the novel, tells the story of a real person with a name and surname, whose dreams motivated him to travel to Kosovo and find the family of his donor.

"This is a story that should reach all viewers, and I think that, after confronting the truth about the abductions of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, many will wonder how this could have happened, on what the monstrous creation called the state of Kosovo is based. The most innocent people remained in Kosovo, and this crime was committed against these people. My book talks about it, this film talks about it, and I hope there will be more and more such testimonies", emphasized the author of the novel.

About the sufferings of the Serbs and the reliability of his novel and film, as he points out, there is ample evidence, such as the report of Dick Marty and statements from former Chief Prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal Carla Del Ponte.

However, the Albanian side persistently avoids responsibility and seeks to refute anyone who tries to tell the truth through threats and force.

When asked about his initial impressions of the filming, Dzeletovic emphasized his admiration for the team's coordination, organization, the magnitude of the project, and the director's efforts to present the story to viewers as authentically as possible.

"Well, I'm a person who is not from that world, and I am thrilled with the professionalism with which my producer approaches this. I saw how well-coordinated and large the team is. Hollywood actors were on strike, and only a small number of films received permission. This is one of them. We shot scenes with our people, and over the winter, we will film winter scenes. The main shooting impact will be in March and April, and God willing, there will be a premiere in the fall", he announced.

However, our interlocutor could not reveal all the details of the project, but he did disclose that one of the actors who had been active from the beginning was Milos Bikovic.

He explains that due to the Albanians' efforts to sabotage filming and hide the truth that "threatens" to reach the entire world, it is not advisable to disclose all the details of the film's production.

"Among our actors, Milos Bikovic has been there from the beginning. I wouldn't disclose details; we plan a lot. However, you are aware of the topic and how detrimental it is to everyone participating in the project because you are aware of how strong that Albanian lobby is. They targeted me in the media, trying to silence us by force. Our director, when we announced his name, received over a thousand threatening messages within a week. That's how strong that lobby is. When we are closer to completion, I will tell you many prominent names, both domestic and from Hollywood", Dzeletovic stated.

When asked if he expected "Harvest" to win any film awards, he emphasized that the only thing important to him was for the truth to reach the world.

Describing how he was guided by a "higher force" when creating the poem, a phenomenon that is happening again during the filming of the movie, he expressed confidence that his mission would be fulfilled.

"The greatest praise I received for that novel came from a monk who said the novel's greatest value was that it was read in one breath, and when you finish reading it, you are breathless. He said the novel's greatest value was that it contained no hatred. Olivera Katarina also told me that I had poetically written about a horrific crime. If the film conveys that warm human story, but accurately defines who the victim is and who the villain is, I think we will reach the entire global audience. That's my dream", Dzeletovic emphasized.

According to him, one country withdrew its recognition of Kosovo thanks to the novel.

"So I hope the film will contribute to spreading the story further, and the world will see what kind of monster it wants to create. They are realizing it themselves these days, the arrogant behavior, thuggery, arresting innocent people... We have the truth, and we have culture, and I think the world will recognize it", Dzeletovic assessed.

Critics of the novel have been entirely positive so far, and the author asserts that no one can remain immune to this true story.

He is still, he says, in disbelief about how he managed to write such a work in a very short time, which is now being translated into several languages worldwide.

"When the German came to give money to the family of the man, he thought only to do that and return to Germany because, after all, thanks to his heart, he saved his life. However, he says that when the little one (son of the donor) approached him within a meter, the stitches from the surgery wanted to burst. He says that the heart wanted to jump out, that it recognized the child, whether it is his autosuggestion or divine providence, but it is such a powerful story that produced such great pain in me that I wrote that poem in two hours. And even today, I wonder if I wrote that or if someone dictated it to me. You know, you can't write five pages of A4 format in two hours. It just flowed out of me, and anyone who heard that story had the same reactions, so except for the Albanian lobby that is bothered by that truth, there are no negative reviews, everyone empathizes with the pain", Dzeletovic said.

The Albanians, he emphasizes, persistently try to deny it, despite the book's resonance in the public, while they immediately declared the director a man sent by Russia.

They act very smartly and insidiously, trying in every way to prevent it. I've seen a lot of things on the internet, but they can't go against it, they did that, and one day they will have to look into their mirror. I hope, God willing, in the fall, there will be a big premiere, I think a major global distributor will handle it, so 'Harvest' will be shown worldwide, and viewers will see what happened in the Kosovo and Metohija region, and it will raise many questions, and I hope our country will use it in the best way possible", he concluded.