Serbian director plans to build Russian village

The man behind Life Is a Miracle, Serbian director Emir Kusturica, has announced his intention to build a traditional “Russian Village” – an ethnic settlement in Herzegovina.

­An architectural plan for the project has already been created, and a location chosen not far from the capital of Bosnia Herzegovina, Sarajevo.

“The Russian Village will be situated 1,600 meters above sea level and will enjoy a wonderful view over Sarajevo. Its territory of 3.5 hectares will be home to a faithful reproduction of a 19th-century Russian settlement. The idea platform has been decided upon, the acquisition of the territories is underway. Construction is set to begin soon,” the director told Itar-Tass news agency.

According to the award-winning filmmaker, the project will be realized by two consolidated companies, one of which is his own. The other “belongs to a retired Russian general Alan Glazov, who has become a successful businessman.”

Back in 2004, Kusturica built his own village, Drvengrad – also known as Küstendorf – for his signature film, Life is Miracle. It is situated about 200 kilometers southwest of the Serbian capital, Belgrade.

His unconventional brainchild, which brought the creator of Underground the Philippe Rotthier European Architecture award, boasts a library, an art gallery, a cinema named after Stanley Kubrick, as well as a statue to Johnny Depp created after the Hollywood actor visited the village in 2010.

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