FOREST: I was born in Yugoslavia. The countless hands of Youth Work Actions built the new country’s transport infrastructure, its bloodlines; they planted the forest so that its young body could breathe, its blood circulate, to strengthen the heart, stimulate the body to grow, regenerate itself, rejoice. I came out of a notion of natural and social revival by using the power of the collective body that shaped the body of the new federal state.
— from “It Rains Differently”, written by Dušica Dražić, Tanja Šljivar, and Mirjana Dragosavljević
***
The film “It Rains Differently” is a portrait of a forest as a fictional character. It is a meditation on collective labor, on imaginary that fulfills itself through the form of Forest that is in constant making and only through that manages to persist all the changes. Forest as a transnational, political, social and cultural collective entity.
This Forest was created on the karst Pešter plateau in southwestern Serbia, not far from the Kosovo border. Every summer between 1973 and 1988 thousands of young people from all over the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia volunteered for reforestation. The labor was organized through Youth Work Actions, bringing new generations together in the spirit of Brotherhood and Unity. My late father, Milutin Dražić, was the leading forest engineer of this project. He was a witness of the long-term dedication, (volunteer) labor, care and trust (or belief) in the social and political imaginary that are outside the conditions of consumption.
Forty years later 150.000 ha of mature Forest dominate the landscape. Despite all the societal changes that unfolded — the collapse of the country, wars, privatizations, ecocides. Despite all the secrets buried within her (Forest).
“It Rains Differently” steps away from the symbolic realm, producing a new forest while producing the film. In summer volunteers gather once again on the Pešter plateau, but this time they are there not only to plant a new forest, but to participate in the collective making of this film.
***
WE PLANT THE FOREST,
THE FOREST IS PLANTING US!
Call for participation in the reforestation of Pešter plateau is now closed.
Thank you all who will join us for the reforestation of the Pešter plateau and production of the film “It Rains Differently” from August 18th to August 25th, 2024!
See you at Pešter!
For further inquiries send an email to: itrainsdifferently@gmail.com
Call in ENGLISH (pdf): CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
Poziv na NAŠEM (pdf): POZIV ZA VOLONTERE
—
“It Rains Differently” is a result of the collective work
Concept and direction: Dušica Dražić
Original scenario: Tanja Šljivar, Dušica Dražić, Mirjana Dragosavljević
Voices: Vladislava Đorđević, Željko Maksimović, Milutin Dapčević, Paul Murray
Production on location: Ana Vuković, Dušica Dražić
DOP: Hannes Boeck
Camera 2: Eitan Efrat
Drone: Igor Bošnjak
Sound design: Bojan Palikuća
Media archive research: Doplgenger
Photo and mobile phone image: Aleksandrija Ajduković
Documentary drawing: Siniša Ilić
Illustration: Monika Lang
Editing: Wim Janssen, Dušica Dražić
PR and communication: Ratko Rakin
Translation of the original scenario (Naš to English): Žarko Cvejić
Proofreading of the original scenario (English): Paul Murray
Co-produced by: Escautville, Out of Sight, Stereovizija
Thank you to all the volunteers that joined reforestations!
Thank you: Dragana Dražić, Marcel Janssen, Ljubinko Rakonjac, Ivan Kaličanin, Željko Kaličanin, Rade Rakonjac, Dražen Garapić, Miloš Janjić, JAZAK, Konačište Centar, Kej Tours Sjenica, H&A smeštaj, hotel Borovi.
—
Development of the film is supported by: Flemish Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Forest Encounters — European cooperation project (2023–25) co-funded by the European Union, Institute of Forestry in Belgrade, STUK, Morpho, KAAP, Museum of Yugoslavia
Development of the multimedia installation is supported by: Forest Encounters — European cooperation project (2023–25) co-funded by the European Union, Flanders — State of the Arts, Museum of Yugoslavia