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“Bečka škola” is a Croatian expression that literally means “Vienna school” and refers to a well-educated, refined person—someone who, in a sense, has been schooled in Vienna. For the past few weeks, however, “Bečka škola” has also been the title of a comedy series, currently available only on social media, which has been enjoying remarkable success. The protagonist is the headmaster of a high school who feels a strong nostalgia for Austria-Hungary, a country with which he actually has no direct connection. We interviewed the Croatian actor Stjepan Perić, co-creator of the series and its main star.
The series is still in development; director Daniel Kušan and I have been working on it for more than two years. Eugen is a charming combination of many traits that we found interesting. He is full of contradictions and details and, like any well-crafted character, he is layered and thoroughly developed. I only wish I had that much time and freedom for every role.
Clearly the audience had been hoping for something like this. There are several factors involved, but I believe that quality was decisive in winning the audience over. So far we have done everything the way we believe comedy should be created. This response from the audience is really the result of a lot of hard and rewarding work. I can’t talk about further plans yet, but I can say that we will continue dealing with the “social networks” of Bečka Škola for some time.
That world is only one part of our series; much greater emphasis is placed on interpersonal relationships, work, school, love, and the development of a person who seems as if he will never fully develop… As for the world you asked me about, it is still here, although it is slowly disappearing. Even when I was a child, many expressions from “Bečka Škola” were no longer used. No one can tell us firsthand what things were like more than a hundred years ago. The world changes, and cities increasingly begin to resemble one another. You decide for yourself—do you like that?
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