The Maritime Museum of Montenegro Kotor, as part of its regular activity, continues the tradition of preserving and presenting national history, primarily maritime. The Museum is preparing an exhibition and film programme entitled "Catalog of Balšići / Fim Exhibition" by screenwriter and director Gojko Celebic in two segments, as has been announced.
The first segment is the exhibition of 14 charters of Zeta rulers Balšić, from their State Office sent to Dubrovnik in the period 1368-1397. This exhibition is thus a kind of celebration of the 650th anniversary of
business and legal charters of Balšić, which represent important documents from the Montenegrin state history.
The charters are now kept at the National Archives in Dubrovnik and an enlarged visual form, an Old Slavik printed form and transmission to the modern language will be exhibited at the Gallery of the Maritime Museum of Montenegro in Kotor.
The second segment is the feature film "Catalog Balšići" as a working projection within the exhibition, lasting 60 minutes - the Balšić era seen through the prism of the charters given, through available data and movie genre.
The film was shot in this version recently, in the Czech Cheb, on the border with Germany - it is just a working version, which will be shown as a screening for friends. The cast includes Montenegrin, Czech, Serbian and German actors.
The genre is feature and documentary at the same time, and is profiled as melodrama and related to the period of Balsa II's reign (1378-85), that is, to his personality and family.
Young Balšić, a ruler with variable luck, prone to intellectual interests in this version as well fascinated by the great inventions of his time (mirror, glasses, etc.) is played by Vuk Celebic, and his
first wife, Princess Komnina of Valona plays Czech actress Karolína Jägerová. The court doctor, whom the people of Dubrovnik send him "as a brother and a friend," interprets Michal Schwartz,
the Counselor is played by Andrija Kovač (Consigliere), cousin Vojislava by Klara Marxova, etc.
The film was shot in the authentic setting of the castle in Cheb, which was the residence of the German emperor Friedrich Barbarossa. The sequel of the Balsic’s death in the battle of the Saur field on 18 September 1835 is also planned to be filmed there.
So for now, it's important to note that this is not the official projection of the film, but the working one, as it is pointed out from Maritime Museum. Exhibition “Catalog Balšići / Film Exhibition” will be opened on August 8, at 9 pm at Grgurina Palace and will last until September 1st.
Zeljko Aprcovic, Mayor of Kotor will open the exhibition.
