Interview: 260 DAYS – First Hollywood film on Croatia’s Homeland War

260 DAYS

Interview with Marijan Gubina, Jakov Sedlar, Lucija Majstrović, and Dražen Majstrović about the film 260 DAYS, the first Hollywood production about the Homeland War in Croatia

Interview by: Zoran Rajn

Below we bring you an interview with Marijan Gubina, Jakov Sedlar, Lucija Majstrović, and Dražen Majstrović about the film 260 DAYS, the first Hollywood production about the Homeland War in Croatia.

Learn more about this historic venture and how you can support it through the international crowdfunding platform, Bona Fides Invest.

Marijan Gubina, author of the project 260 DAYS

Marijan Gubina with the book 260 DAYS

To begin with, please share with the readers more information about your life journey from childhood before the start of the Homeland War until today, when you have a successful career and family life.

I was born on February 23, 1981, in Vinkovci, and I spent my childhood in Dalj, not far from Vukovar and Osijek. It was a happy time spent with my family until the fateful August 1, 1991, when I became a victim of war and spent 260 days in captivity, exposed to the cruelest forms of violence.

Despite severe traumas and losses, including the deaths of my father and younger sister, I did not lose faith in a better tomorrow. I continued my education, graduated from high school to become a professional driver, opened a catering business, and later founded a trading company for the production of furniture.

I was actively involved in the fight against addiction and humanitarian work, which was recognized and rewarded by many institutions. Today I am a proud husband, father of two children, and president of the humanitarian association AUXILIUM.

What inspired you to write the book 260 DAYS, and what messages did you want to send to the readers with it?

I found the inspiration for writing the book 260 DAYS in my own experiences and desire to share the truth about the horrors of war and human endurance. The book carries a message of peace, hope, and forgiveness. I want to remind people of the importance of humanity and solidarity and inspire those who have gone through similar traumas to find the strength to continue living.

Marijan Gubina

You are currently shooting the film of the same name, 260 DAYS, based on the book, which is the first Hollywood production about the Homeland War. How did this new, important stage in your social work and advocacy come about?

Filming the film 260 DAYS is a natural continuation of my work on promoting truth and reconciliation. After the book and later the theatrical play achieved great success, the idea arose to transfer the story to the screen in order to reach an even wider audience.

Cooperation with Hollywood producers enabled this project to be realized at a high professional level, which further draws attention to the importance of the Homeland War and its causes and consequences.

Marijan Gubina makes a statement for HRT

Can you share with readers more information about the team behind 260 DAYS, as well as the most important partnerships you have established so far.

The team behind the film is a combination of top professionals from the film industry and international business. Thus, our core team consists of Jakov Sedlar, who has several decades of experience working on film projects in Hollywood and is known for his films about Croatian history.

Then, Dražen Majstrović as director of the company 260DAYS d.o.o., which is producing the film, Alexander Hrkač as a member of the team in charge of financial and risk management, Lucija Majstrović as the marketing director of the film production, and me as the author of the 260 DAYS project. Hollywood Oscar winner Barry Morrow signs the script as a supervisor.

The complete post-production of the film is done in Hollywood, which ensures the highest level of quality.

When can viewers expect the end of filming and its arrival in cinemas?

We plan to finish shooting the film by the end of this year, and the premiere is scheduled for the spring of next year. I am convinced that the film 260 Days will have a strong resonance, not only in Croatia but also internationally, because it conveys universal messages of peace and hope.

Pope Francis and Marijan Gubina

Jakov Sedlar, director of the film 260 Days

What attracted you to the 260 DAYS story and motivated you to direct and produce its film adaptation?

It’s a novel that is an excellent blueprint for a film. I don’t know of a better story about the beginning of the struggle for Croatian independence. That’s precisely why I thought it was enough to embark on a great film adventure—because every film is just that, especially a topic that hasn’t been addressed at all but should have been.

Jakov Sedlar, director of the film 260 DAYS

Which big names in the film will be involved in the shooting?

We now have great actors such as Tim Roth, Armand Assante, Angela Molina, Sam Hazeldine, and other British actors. All British actors have impressive resumes, demonstrating their participation in the world’s biggest productions.

Camilla Rutherford, who will play the role of Marija Gubina (Marijan’s mother)

Will Godber, who will play the role of Marijan Gubina 

How do you see the impact of the film 260 DAYS on society? What do you hope the audience will take away from the film once it’s released?

This film will give the audience a clear picture of a crucial period in Croatian history. They will see the reality of the lies that people lived in and how the Croatian people were naive and prone to believing the propaganda they were exposed to for over half a century.

Jakov Sedlar

How do you assess the existing films about the Homeland War, and how important is it for Croatia to have such a film?

Unfortunately, we do not have a single adequate film on the topic of the Homeland War. Why that is the case is a longer story. I regret that this is the case, and with this film, we will try to fill the thematic void that is glaring to anyone who loves our Croatian state.

Sam Hazeldine will play Marijan’s father Hinko Gubina 

You have made several documentaries about different parts of Croatian history. Which of them would you highlight as the most important? Can we expect any significant new projects from your production soon?

My most important film is the next one. However, I have made and will continue to make films on Croatian historical topics. One of them is the film “Croats and the Holocaust,” which has also not been adequately covered.

Isabelle Dempster, role of sister Nena

Then there is the film “Croatian Bishops” and the story of how the Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina contributed to the creation of an independent Croatian state. There are many topics, but I am still determining how much I will manage.

However, everything I have and know is tied to this feature film, 260 DAYS. It is my obsession, my passion, and my love. I will do everything to make it as successful as the result of the Croatian struggle—a victory in every sense.

Press conference for the media before the start of filming the movie 260 DAYS 

Lucija Majstrović, director of marketing for the production of the film 260 DAYS

Why did you launch a crowdfunding campaign for the film 260 DAYS?

We launched the crowdfunding campaign for the film 260 DAYS for two main reasons. Firstly, we wanted to involve as many people as possible in this project. Regardless of financial capability, the campaign allows everyone to become part of our story and contribute to its realization.

The support we received from the audience from the beginning and the growing interest from a newer audience showed us that crowdfunding is the right path. The second reason for launching the campaign is to promote the film and create anticipation among the audience as we share exclusive information about the upcoming film.

We aim to build a community through this joint venture that will eagerly await the film’s premiere.

Lucija Majstrović, director of marketing for the production of the film 260 DAYS

What kind of support and feedback have you received from the community for the campaign so far?

From the beginning, we knew there was great interest in the project among all those who read the book 260 DAYS, watched the play, or learned about the project in any other way.

The support from our audience has been incredible. We received numerous messages of support and encouragement, and many people offered their help in the campaign and realization of the film, ultimately supporting the crowdfunding campaign itself. I want to highlight a few touching messages of support we received:

“I wish you to quickly create the conditions to start filming the movie and then succeed on all possible levels of representation and awards for the film. God, grant that we see a movie in the Oscar competition!”

“I wish the entire team much success in their work. Marijan, we are proud of you!”

“I hope you achieve through the film all that you advocate for as a Peace Ambassador who has endured so many horrors and who has a big heart to forgive. Great man!”

These messages further motivated us and confirmed that we were doing something truly significant.

Lucija Majstrović, Dražen Majstrović, Dino Jelusić, and Marijan Gubina, team of 260 DAYS crowdfunding campaign

How can citizens get involved in the campaign? What rewards have you prepared for them?

Citizens can get involved in the campaign through the Bona Fides Invest global crowdfunding platform, where they can find all the information about our project, how to participate, and the rewards we have prepared. When thinking about the rewards, we knew we aimed to offer as many valuable rewards as possible.

The lowest participation amount is 10 euros, for which participants receive a ticket to the pre-premiere film 260 DAYS. In addition, we have prepared other valuable rewards, including items from the film set, the opportunity to appear as extras, VIP dinners with the author, director, and film actors, and many other exclusive benefits. These rewards are designed so everyone can find something exciting and valuable and feel part of our team.

What has been the most challenging aspect of promoting the campaign and the film so far?

The most challenging part was convincing a new audience and people unaware of our project that it was as good and high-quality as it sounds. At times, making a Hollywood film with the Croatian War of Independence theme in English and with foreign actors seemed impossible. Since the film’s shooting started, all our efforts have paid off, and we have achieved more than we initially thought possible.

After you complete the film, what are your plans for its distribution and screening?

After we complete the film, we plan to organize pre-premieres in all major Croatian cities and abroad. We want as many people as possible to have the opportunity to see our film first. After the pre-premieres, we plan to distribute the film to cinemas worldwide.

We are also considering other distribution channels, including streaming platforms and television networks, to ensure that the film reaches as wide an audience as possible. Our goal is for the story of the film 260 DAYS to reach as many people as possible and inspire and educate viewers worldwide.

Dražen Majstrović, director of the company 260DAYS Ltd. in charge of film production

As the primary operative in attracting investors, share why the film 260 DAYS is an excellent investment opportunity. How difficult is it to convince Croatian citizens to invest in the film? What is the current investor structure in terms of national representation?

Involving investors in producing the film 260 DAYS is a unique opportunity to become a member of a team producing a film for which the Croatian state has been waiting for 30 years. Besides this, which brings an evident and valuable legacy to all involved, we have ensured that the project is set up according to usual entrepreneurial principles.

Therefore, it is crucial to us that all production activities ultimately result in the return of the principal to the investors as well as the payment of the promised profit, thus ensuring the project’s profitability. Unfortunately, during the process of approaching potential investors, we realized that this is a kind of “taboo” topic. We can understand why this is the case.

Dražen Majstrović, director of the company 260DAYS d.o.o., which produces the film

The fact that this is truly a unique film project means that we are “educating” investors who, based on this experience, may initiate globally competitive and profitable film projects themselves, which has not been the case so far. Most of our investors are from the Republic of Croatia, while some of them come from the North American continent. They are mainly Croats, but we also have a significant investor from the Jewish community in the USA.

Have you secured support for the film from the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC) or relevant ministries?

So far, we have not managed to secure financial support from HAVC or the relevant ministries, so the project is still mainly funded by private investors. Besides this, we received community support through a crowdfunding campaign launched through the Bona Fides Invest international crowdfunding platform, as well as the support of several local and regional self-government units.

The support from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Croatian Veterans of the Republic of Croatia is precious to us, but it is not financial.

How do you evaluate the existing programs for financing the film industry in Croatia? Do you think state institutions should create programs with different evaluation criteria?

The fact that for 30 years, no film has been made on the topic of the Croatian War of Independence that can be globally distributed does not speak in favor of the functionality of the current support programs for financing the film industry in Croatia.

This fact motivated us to initiate the film production project we all needed. We thank everyone who recognized the project as positive and necessary and joined our team. Although the film’s shooting started at the end of May, post-production will be done in Hollywood until the end of this year.

This means there is still “time” for the project to be recognized by state institutions to make the highest quality possible post-production, for which we currently have limited financial resources.

Dražen Majstrović

As a Croatian veteran and participant in the Croatian War of Independence, do you think the truth about what happened in the 1990s in the former Yugoslavia is well known? Should state institutions be more engaged in promoting the truth about the Croatian War of Independence?

One of the goals of the film’s production was precisely to initiate positive trends in multiple directions. We hope the film will have significant value for the Republic of Croatia, both domestically and internationally. The example of the film Braveheart for the Scottish state was invaluable both internally and externally.

Regarding the world’s understanding of what happened and how the Croatian War of Independence started, there is a need to produce about 50 globally relevant films on this topic in the next 25 years. Therefore, we see the 260 DAYS production as pioneering to show that it is possible and essential. Suppose we manage to obtain the support of state institutions, at least in the film’s post-production. In that case, we will strongly help initiate future globally relevant film productions on the Croatian War of Independence.

Finally, is there anything else you want to share with potential donors and investors interested in the film 260 DAYS?

We urge all those who recognize the project as positive and necessary to join our team. This can be achieved with an investment of 10,000 euros or more, for which the status of an investor in the film 260 DAYS is obtained, as well as by supporting a crowdfunding campaign with smaller amounts. For more information about the film and its support options, visit our campaign page.

Link on crowdfunding campaign 260 DAYS – Do Good So Good Comes Back to You Sooner: https://bonafidesinvest.eu/campaign/do-good-so-good-comes-back-to-you-sooner/