In our column Meet a local we present interesting individuals from different professional fields living in Belgrade. The idea is to get to know some locals and their favorite neighborhoods and venues in the city.
- Please introduce yourself to our readers:
Maja Uzelac, film director…even when writing for papers and portals, DJ-ing, parenting, fashion-influencing, or whatever’s on the plate that day – and some weird new thing usually is.
2. Has there been a new project lately?
I’m directing the first-ever documentary about the legend Zvonko Bogdan is, depicting the music of the past times that will never return, and, at the same time, I’m in the editing room with Konstrakta’s uber-modern 4-song-video-piece we shot earlier this year.
3. What do you like about Belgrade?
I love how it’s still alive despite everything all the time – and I’ve put my money into it staying that way no matter what, a long time ago. Let’s hope it persists. The challenges just keep on rising.
4. Where do you like to go out?
I like Dim, April, Tri…I Drugstore and I like 20/44.
5. Name 3 of your favorite restaurants in the city?
I love Cvece Zla, Iva, and Klub književnika. I mean, the food is amazing at some of the more elevated restaurants as well, but these are some places I love to sit and spend time in, as well as eat.
While I’m a true expert on eating in general, I’m mad about the cakes and such, so I have to add: pies at Ispeci pa reci, chou chou at Gospođa Mirkov, chocolate extravaganzas at Valentina i karanfil…
6. Where do you drink coffee?
I make my first espresso as soon as I open my eyes, at home…after that, I’ll take whatever I can get. At the office in Kulturni Centar Beograd, we have a bizarre coffee brand but an excellent taste…while it lasts. We don’t let anyone see the package 🙂 I’ll drink turska kafa at Znak pitanja or Srpska kafana, Nescafe at friends’ places, double espresso when I find myself in fancy coffee shops, Viennese coffee at Vremeplov, my fav cake-shop in Novi Sad…Which, okay, is not Belgrade, but still somehow, its sibling in a way.
7. Where do you spend your leisure time?
Lots of memories all throughout the City over the years…from the Danub and Avala with friends, to Ada and Zemun at night, Donji Dorćol in the summer, our kind of splavovi, Kinoteka, cemeteries with all of their stories, and everything in between.
Also: Belgrade is, of course, most likable when you get to leave and come back every now and then. So I’m voting Our lives back, pls., so we can travel!
8. Name your 3 favorite locations in Belgrade and justify your choice.
– Potkovica – an Nbg horseshoe-shaped building I lived in (and my Mom&Dad still do).
We, the kids, spent days together making tents we then lied in, playing, making up stories, and eating stuff our parents put down from the terrace, in a basket hung by a rope.
Later on, I found myself attending a film academy 100 m from that place :).
And also, there’s a little bridge nearby, where I used to meet with my best friend every day. Some decades later, we’re still best friends, and we’re thinking of reinstating that middle-of-the-bridge-ritual.
– Molerova – street where my granny we called nana used to live. I so loved waking up there while growing up, just steps from the clubs we went to every weekend
– Also: Pazi Škola, Topolska 18, Liquid…places that are no more. But they live in our memory, and how gloriously they live! – The life worthy of the unbeatable highlights of this City as we know and love it.
Writer. Blogger. Traveler. Researcher. Electronic Music Lover.
