Looking ahead to exciting new projects – including the upcoming film by Mirjana Karanović, the post-production of Miroslav Terzić’s Excursion (winner of the HBO Award for Work in Progress at the Sarajevo Film Festival), the editing of Darko Lungulov’s new feature, as well as preparations for Aida Begić’s next film – we spoke with Snežana Van Houwelingen of This and That Productions. Their projects have already gained recognition beyond national borders: the series Operation Sabre achieved remarkable international success, while Goran Stanković’s film Our Father recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. In this interview, we discuss international distribution strategies, balancing local authenticity with universal storytelling, working with global platforms such as Netflix and Apple TV+, Serbia’s role as a source of original stories and talent, and the readiness of domestic productions for the global streaming market.
The series Operation Sabre has achieved remarkable international success, recently winning an award at the Shanghai TV Festival – a milestone not only for the creative team but also for positioning the Serbian industry on the global market. What was the strategy behind the international distribution of the series, and how much was that aspect integrated into the project development phase?
It is a major accomplishment for the Serbian industry that Operation Sabre became the first series from the Balkans to be nominated for Best Foreign Drama at the Shanghai TV Festival – and then to actually win, joining the ranks of previous laureates such as Babylon Berlin, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, and other globally acclaimed titles. From the outset, our goal was to frame the project as a high-end drama based on true events, with a clear genre and market positioning within the true crime segment.
Many of the key negotiations, including those with Beta Film and Arte/ZDF, were initiated as early as the development phase. We built our distribution strategy in parallel with the scriptwriting and visual design of the series, making sure that all creative, legal, and technical parameters aligned with international market demands. This early integration of distribution into development allowed Operation Sabre to be ready for global audiences without compromise – a readiness first confirmed in Cannes, where the series won Best Ensemble at Canneseries, and ultimately crowned with the award in Shanghai.
How challenging is it to balance local authenticity and themes with the universality of storytelling, especially when aiming for international markets and festival recognition, as with Operation Sabre?
Our starting point is always that local authenticity must remain intact – it is what makes the story unique and sets it apart from hundreds of others. In Operation Sabre, that meant faithfully portraying Serbia’s political and social context of the 1990s and 2000s, including language and mentality, but doing so in a way that resonates with audiences worldwide.
At the same time, we anchor the narrative in universal themes: power and responsibility, personal ethics versus collective interest, the individual’s struggle against the system. These conflicts are universally relatable, whether the viewer is from Europe, Asia, or the Americas.
On a practical level, we approach scripts in a way that nurtures local specificity while constantly testing whether the story remains comprehensible and compelling without prior knowledge of the context. We also engage international consultants who work with major global platforms and actively participate in workshops and labs across Europe, ensuring that both the emotion and the message translate beyond the region. In this way, the series remains true to its roots while still being accessible and engaging for global audiences.
The distribution of Bad Blood (Nečista krv) on Netflix marked an important precedent for Serbian projects. Can you share insights from that process and the impact it had on your team and This and That as a production company?
It was the feature film Bad Blood – Sin of Ancestors that was distributed on Netflix – the first time a Serbian-language project appeared on the platform. We were especially proud that Netflix even introduced a new sub-genre label, “Serbian,” making our film a part of distribution history at the global level.
The process was complex and required meticulous preparation on multiple fronts. Negotiations focused on rights definition, exclusivity, license duration, and territorial scope, while also harmonizing with pre-existing contracts and broadcasts. Legally, it demanded a full chain-of-title and cleared music rights, while the technical side, QC standards were extremely strict.
Another major challenge was metadata and marketing: Netflix requires precisely structured loglines, synopses, and visual assets tailored for different territories – elements that directly affect algorithmic visibility. The results were manifold: beyond global availability, the film received tremendous media attention, opened doors for other Serbian-language projects, and strengthened the reputation of our industry as a reliable partner in international collaboration.
Working on Omnivore for Apple TV+ placed you within the production pipelines of the highest international standards. What was the collaboration with Apple’s teams like, and how does it differ from practices here at home in terms of production, creative approach, and post-production?
Collaborating with Apple TV+ teams immerses you in a highly structured system of production. Every stage, from preparation to final post-production, operates under precisely defined protocols, with clear procedures, timelines, and responsibilities. The teams are significantly larger than in local projects, with each phase supported by multiple specialized departments. Production involves extensive administration and strict adherence to legal protocols, with heavy emphasis on contracts, rights, and material security.
Compared to local practice, where agility and improvisation often play a key role in problem-solving, Apple’s model ensures maximum traceability and precision. This predictability creates more room to focus on creative choices, as production is freed from constant “firefighting” and ad hoc solutions. For us, the experience was invaluable – both as exposure to global industry standards and as motivation to elevate our own internal processes to a level that enables equal collaboration with top global partners.
What was especially rewarding was that through Omnivore we could present a slice of Serbian culture to audiences worldwide. Instead of Belgrade once again standing in for another city, we showcased southern Serbia in its authentic light — everyday life, traditions, production practices, even details like the famous hot peppers that are a symbol of the region. This gave international viewers a vivid glimpse into a unique corner of our country; a step forward not only for our production company but also for the cultural identity we aim to share globally.
With growing international demand for regional stories and locations, how do you see Serbia’s role as a production hub not only in terms of service but also as a source of original content and talent?
Serbia has already proven itself as a reliable and competitive service hub: we have experienced crews, diverse locations, and solid infrastructure. But the next step is to position ourselves also as a source of original stories and talent. That means not just being a destination where foreign projects come to shoot, but also a place from which authentic ideas and content with global potential emerge.
Our focus is on developing projects rooted in local context yet universal enough to resonate internationally. This requires investment in writers’ rooms, development of a showrunner model, and continuous education through international programs. At the same time, it’s crucial to strengthen domestic post-production with world-recognized certifications, and to build a robust IP ecosystem regulating authorship, remake rights, and format rights.
Serbia’s role is not merely to serve as a set, but to be an equal player in shaping global narratives. I believe the combination of rich local culture, talent, and increasingly advanced production standards positions us well to become both a service hub and a source of inspiration for the global industry.
How prepared are Serbian production companies to meet the demands of global streaming services – in terms of project development as well as production and technical standards? What do you see as priorities for the future development of the industry in Serbia?
Serbian companies have shown that they can meet the very high production and technical demands of global partners. Our sector has an advantage in agility and efficiency, and the quality of production teams and post-production facilities has risen to a level that enables delivery of even the most demanding projects. What is still lacking, however, is systemic support for project development. Streamers expect detailed bibles, writers’ room processes, and proof-of-concept materials as standard, while here these tools are still exceptions rather than the rule.
Another challenge is technical pipeline standardization: from dailies to final delivery, including multiple subtitle versions, accessibility adjustments, and strict QC procedures. Equally important are legal and financial alignments: international partners require transparent contracts as well as predictable financing and recoupment structures.
I see three main priorities for Serbia’s industry going forward- investment in series development and writers’ rooms capable of generating content with global reach; strengthening post-production centers and acquiring international certifications that guarantee technical reliability and quality; training and educating young talent through programs in partnership with global streamers and studios. With these, Serbian productions could move beyond being service partners and become equal creators of original content on the global stage.
In recent years, Serbia’s film incentives have played a crucial role in attracting foreign productions. How do you assess the effectiveness of the current incentive model, particularly for long-term planning in co-production TV series? And what changes would you see as strategically beneficial for the market’s growth?
The incentive model in Serbia has proven highly effective and competitive, attracting not only major international productions but also numerous domestic films and series. Its predictability and stability until recently gave producers the confidence to plan across formats and scales. For us, as domestic producers, this mechanism was a point of pride, as it significantly strengthened the industry and boosted international visibility of our content.
However, the recent amendment excluding domestic investors as eligible beneficiaries poses a serious challenge. This decision places local producers and investors at a disadvantage and directly reduces the potential we’ve discussed earlier. Equally concerning is the manner of implementation – mid-year and without consultation with the industry – which introduces uncertainty and risks undermining trust with international partners.
I believe stability and continuity of the incentive system would best be secured if it were regulated by law rather than by decree, avoiding sudden or partial changes. It is also crucial for institutions to establish two-way communication with industry associations, since they are the ones most directly affected. Such an approach would provide security for both domestic and international partners and ensure sustainable growth of Serbia’s audiovisual industry.
Finally, it is important to highlight the economic benefits incentives bring to the country as a whole. It is well documented that every euro invested through incentives returns multiple times to the state budget and local economy – through employment, taxes, infrastructure development, and country branding. This is why the stability of the incentive model is of strategic importance, with an impact measurable not only culturally but also in clear economic terms.