Projects 2023

Exit Through the Cuckoo's Nest

Nikola Ilić
In this essay film the author tells his own story as a soldier who never wanted to be one. From detours away from the front line, to psychiatry back home. “When the blue envelope arrived, the call to go to Kosovo, the only thing I knew was that I would never ever shoot. However, I had to get on the train to war. Many of my comrades died, some of them killed themselves afterwards. I was the lucky one: always refused to shoot, ending up in military prison, found a way out of it as a translator but then had my breakdown which brought me (on purpose) to psychiatry. Acting mentally ill for months, finally I could go back home."
Nikolailic

Nikola Ilić

Nikola Ilić, originally from Belgrade, Serbia, is an independent filmmaker and cinematographer interested in creative and observational documentary filmmaking. Since 2007, he has lived, studied, and worked between Switzerland and Serbia. His short films have been shown and awarded at many international festivals around the globe. His most recent feature film Doc (co-directed with Corina Schwingruber Ilić) won a DOK Leipzig Golden Dove, as well as many other awards – including Big Stamp award at ZagrebDox. He has been nominated three times for the Swiss Film Award and has won the Zürich Film Award and the Film Award of Central Switzerland twice. He is co-founder of the Pro Short Association and a member of the Swiss Film Academy.

General sponsor

Switzerland, Serbia

Working title:
Exit Through the Cuckoo's Nest

Directed by:
Nikola Ilić

Start of production:
01.2020.

Estimated date of finalisation:
12.2023.