Serbia is not just a land of history and nature – it’s also a land of stories. Many of those stories have been captured on film, turning villages, cities, and remote mountain roads into unforgettable movie sets.
If you’re a film lover, these locations offer a chance to step into a scene from some of the most beloved Serbian and Yugoslav movies.
🛖 1. Life Is a Miracle – Život je čudo (Emir Kusturica)
High above the Mokra Gora valley, Emir Kusturica built an entire wooden village for his 2004 film Life is a Miracle. Today, Drvengrad lives on as a cultural hub with its own cinema, gallery, and film festival.
✔️ Film location turned tourist village
✔️ Ride the nearby Šargan Eight railway, also featured in the film
📍 Mokra Gora, Western Serbia
🚌 2. Who’s Singing Over There – Ko to tamo peva (Dušan Kovačević)
Perhaps the most famous scene in Serbian cinema – the broken wooden bridge that ultimately collapses – was filmed near Zagajica Hills, a remote and picturesque area within the Deliblato Sands (Deliblatska peščara).
Although the original bridge no longer exists, fans of the film still visit this quiet, slightly surreal landscape to feel the atmosphere of that final, unforgettable scene.
🎞 Iconic Scene: The bus slowly moving across the hills in silence.
✔️ Exact location: Zagajička brda, known for rolling dunes and scenic horizons
📍 Deliblatska peščara, Vojvodina
🏠 3. The Marathon Family – Maratonci trče počasni krug (Slobodan Šijan)
The Topalović family’s infamous home still stands — barely. It’s a dilapidated villa on Zadarska Street near Kosančićev Venac in Belgrade. The rest of the film, including morgue scenes, was shot in Pančevo, a small town with charming retro facades.
🎞 Iconic Scene: The Topalović family in their morbid living room.
✔️ For the brave: Visit the weathered villa and relive the absurdity
📍 Zadarska Street, Belgrade & Pančevo
🕵️ 4. The Balkan Spy – Balkanski špijun (Dušan Kovačević)
Balkanski špijun (1984) is a brilliant portrait of paranoia and absurdity in socialist Yugoslavia. It was filmed across Belgrade, especially in:
- Kosančićev Venac – narrow streets and old houses
- Skadarlija – the bohemian soul of the city
- Kalemegdan – fortress scenes full of silent tension
🎞 Iconic Scene: Ilija secretly observing his tenant from his old apartment window.
✔️ Take a cinematic walking tour of these neighborhoods
📍 Belgrade: Kosančićev Venac, Skadarlija, Kalemegdan
5. “We Are Not Angels” – Mi nismo anđeli (Srđan Dragojević)
This beloved urban comedy (Mi nismo anđeli, 1992), directed by Srđan Dragojević, was filmed across Belgrade, especially in Zemun, New Belgrade, and around Kalemegdan. The city itself plays a major role in creating the film’s chaotic, darkly humorous atmosphere.
🎞 Iconic Scene: Devil and Angel arguing over Nikola’s fate in old Belgrade streets.
✔️ Take a cinematic walking tour of these neighborhoods
📍 Location: Zemun, New Belgrade, Kalemegdan – Belgrade
Related Articles
