US Director Changes Film Title to Honour Nikola Tesla’s Birthday
The overwhelming reception for his forthcoming biopic about Nikola Tesla has led American director Michael Anton to deliver a new name to sum up the iconic nature of the man and his unique legacy.
“Nikola Tesla does not need a controversial label,’ said Michael Anton. “The fact that his name is not as familiar as it should be is one of the issues we intend to address with this film, which has progressed from a strong script with a modest budget into a potential voice that will finally break the great silence that is the history of Nikola Tesla.
“From now on, this film will be simply titled TESLA. Nothing more, nothing less.”
The new title (@TeslaTheMovie), announced on the anniversary of Tesla’s birth, reflects the iconic nature of the man and his legacy.
Tesla Biopic to Shoot in the US & Serbia
The most talked-about film in the Balkans will shoot in the USA and Serbia in October 2013. The incredible story of the man who gave light to the 20th century will be told on screen in an international film to be simply titled, TESLA.
Today’s announcement was made at the R:brand Serbia Conference in a statement shared by Aleksandra Drecun, director of the Republic of Serbia Centre for the Promotion of Science. The conference in Novi Sad, attended by Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić, is part of the world famous EXIT festival, which attracts an international audience of many tens of thousands.
“Tesla was a man of his generation. Many consider him to have invented the twentieth century,’ Michael said in a statement. “His story must not be kept from the rest of the world. Tesla deserves to have a voice not only among the American people, but with everyone. Tesla sets an example for all of us. He showed that we are capable of unimaginable things as long as we believe in the impossible.”
TESLA : The Ultimate Serbian Brand
“In Serbia, the land of his people, Nikola Tesla is revered as a national hero. He is the ultimate Serbian brand. His familiar image even hangs at the front of many classrooms to inspire each new generation. But my own children will grow up in America, in a school system that only preaches the history of Thomas Edison while ignoring the great man that was Nikola Tesla. I not only know that is wrong, I plan on redressing the balance.
“I have been so blessed to have the early support of the Serbian people in regards to our film, said Michael. “They appreciate my approach to the story of their national hero. I am confidant that audiences in the US, UK and worldwide will come to know the story of Tesla through our film.”
TESLA Attracts Award-Winning Cast
Confident in this bold new branding, Michael stands by his reason for picking The Mad Scientist as a working title for the film. “That title reflected that very misconception held by the rest of the world,’ he said. “I wanted to show the hypocrisy of the name, to show that it was the rest of the world who was truly mad for ignoring this great man. But we have attracted an internationally renowned cast whose award-winning work takes TESLA to another level. So we wanted a title to reflect that.”
German-born Serb Branko Tomović will play Nikola Tesla in the film. Branko, who was recently awarded at the London Independent Film Festival, has been named International Actor of the Month by the British Filmmakers Alliance.
Michael is also in advanced discussions with leading actresses from Serbia and the Balkans to play Nikola Tesla’s family in scenes to be shot in Serbia, this October/November. Already, one of Serbia’s most celebrated actresses has come on board to play Djuka, the hardworking Serbian mother who had a big influence on the inventive instincts of the young Nikola.
In a move that is unusual in an American movie, the scenes to be shot in the Balkans will be spoken in Serbian. “They were Serbs living in what is now Croatia; I want the audience to feel the authenticity of those circumstances,’ said Michael.
Serb Scientist Points the Way to Greater Learning
Aleksandra Drecun, director of the Republic of Serbia Centre for the Promotion of Science, presented the TESLA statement and unveiled the new artwork at the conference, attended by Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić.
“Learning is one of the greatest gifts we can give as parents and adults,’ said Michael. “Who among us is not moved by the joy of discovery in a child’s eyes or the excitement of exploring the natural sciences? Science is a rich world of wonder, especially for young people.
“Imagine what we could accomplish if we believed that anything is possible as Nikola Tesla did? The examples he set not only in his contributions to science, but also in his beliefs that a world free of war would be an enlightened world capable of endless possibilities is a belief that all people should hold dear to their hearts.
“I tell you in good faith that my international team will work hard to make sure that every decision involving this film continues to enhance the momentum, not only among the Balkan people but across the globe. Together, we can ensure that the next generation is well aware of TESLA, one of the greatest men of the twentieth century.”
• Marcus Agar is Associate Producer on TESLA
7 / 10 / 2013 2:06 pm
I’m anxiously awaiting this film! I of course was never introduced to Tesla in school. I discovered him in a thrift store book section in 1993. I can’t remember the name of the author but it was a biography of Tesla and it fascinated me. I couldn’t believe that a man had done all that he had and received no recognition and was discredited. It changed my whole opinion of a lot of people. Edison for example. I actually felt shame for the way Mr. Tesla was treated. Anyway I’m excited about this movie and can’t wait to see it.
7 / 10 / 2013 2:08 pm
Awesome! I’m anxiously awaiting this film. I was cheated out of learning about Tesla in American schools.
7 / 10 / 2013 6:55 pm
Thanks for your comment, Steven. Sorry that you had problems posting it, initially. As you rightly say, Tesla’s story is an incredible one that really should be better known outside of his home lands. Too many schools ignore Tesla’s work and legacy. It is one of Michael’s main intentions for TESLA to play a significant part in changing that.
7 / 27 / 2013 3:27 pm
Would be good of you got his nationality correct in the movie. Tesla spoke Croatian, was born in Croatia and went to school in Croatia and yes his father was a Serbian orthodox priest but His nationality on his passport was Croatian. The house he was born and raised in is a museum in Croatia. That truth also needs to be told about that part of his life as well. Just saying…
5 / 4 / 2016 7:58 pm
Na Balkanu nista ne znaci gde si rodjen vec sta si po nacionalnosti i koje si vere…ko su ti preci…pored toga Hrvati nemaju moralnu osnovu da svojataju Teslu…ako su svi srbi koji zive u Hrvatskoj hrvati pa zasto se onda desio Jasenovac i Oluja…Nikola Tesla je srecom izbegao Jasenovac….i svakako ne bi rekao da se ponosi Hrvatskom da je za iste dogadjaje znao….ostavite coveka da pociva u miru i ne vredjajte ga….Nikola je covek univerzuma, spletom okolnosti rodjen u Hrvatskoj ali poreklom srbin
7 / 10 / 2013 9:35 pm
The screenplay was written mercenary Serbian government Aleksandar Vucic, former extreme Serbian nationalists who crossed the Serbian Radical Party to the Serbian Progressive Party.
Tesla was NOT a scientist because there is not one scientific paper!!! Tesla has not completed any college.
Tesla is Croatian innovator! He does not have anything to do with Serbia.
Tesla did not invent the induction motor, rotating the magnetic field, three-phase current, etc..
More about: http://www.edisontechcenter.org/AC-PowerHistory.html
7 / 19 / 2013 11:44 am
An article from Croatia about Teslas origin (telling: where is croatia´s proud aboput tesla, is it because he was serbian),
http://www.jutarnji.hr/nikola-tesla-je-brend-i-ponos-koji-hrvatska-ne-koristi-na-adekvatan-nacin-strucnjaci-o-velikom-znanstveniku-/1113592/
8 / 1 / 2013 1:01 am
or in fact you could educate yourself below and discover that Croatians really descended from Serbs.
http://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-conservative/2013/07/zagreb-in-a-panic-scientifically-proven-that-croats-are-descendants-of-serbs-2687972.html
12 / 29 / 2013 9:12 am
Viktor, people like you fall under the category of “undesirables,” and should not be allowed to reproduce. We do not need you, we do not need your comments because you and yours have lost the battle. You are wasting your electrical energy and ours with petty negative thinking. I will not respond to any more of your comments after this, life is too short to deal with small brains. I just wanted to verify that Nik Tesla is the greatest scientist, engineer and inventor the world has ever known. Also Tesla kept most of his technical ideas in his head and did not like to write information down on paper. Something Viktor you can never do, because apparently there is not much room in this head of yours.
7 / 11 / 2013 12:18 am
@viktor
Tesla was Serbian.Whole world knows that!
9 / 29 / 2013 11:12 pm
@milan…my age has nothing to do with it. It’s just the facts!!! If they are making a movie about Tesla’s life they should stick to the facts and tell his story as it is. His parents were from Serbia and he was born and raised in Croatia till he went to school. FACTS!!! He spoke and wrote Croatian. FACT!!! and he said he was a Croat. FACT!!!
7 / 11 / 2013 5:37 am
Sorry flame but viktor is wright. Tesla was Croatian not Serbian believe me i’m from Serbia. Preciesle he was from Yugoslavia. But he have croatian nationaliti and this is the matter, here.
7 / 11 / 2013 11:00 am
1. Nikola is Serbian name.
2. Tesla has many times said that the he is Serb.
3. His mother was from Orthodox Priest family (not Catholic)
4. His father was Orthodox Priest (not Catholic like Croatian’s)
5. Tesla was born in Lika (Serbian teritory occupied by Austro-Hungarian, today this is teritory of Croatia)
9 / 12 / 2013 11:16 pm
History is not your major! Lika has NEVER been a Serbian teritory – it was a part of Yugoslav republic Croatia, and is Croatia nowdays! Nikola Tesla has never been in Serbia, he was an orthodox Croat, and he declared himself so!
7 / 11 / 2013 6:42 pm
bad enough an american is directing a film about tesla but the fact that this film was originally called “mad scientist” for whatever reason shows he has no clue
7 / 27 / 2013 3:20 pm
The name Nikola is not only a Serbian name….And that name alone does not mean he is Serbian. Croatians have that name as well. Tesla by far is not a Serbian surname if you want to get technical…wheres the “ovic” at the end if it. He was born and raised in Croatia, spoke Croatian and lived as a Croatian in Croatia till he went to school in Graz. Why would they film the movie in Serbia when he never even went to Serbia and never spoke Serbian cause he went to school in Croatia. The house he was born in is now a tourist attraction in Croatia, I’ve been there. He never ever openly said he was a Serbian and he travelled to America with his nationality on his passport Croatian. I think these movie makers need to do there research a bit more thorough. If they want to tell the world the truth about Tesla they need to have the actual true facts.
8 / 5 / 2013 3:54 pm
@Eli
(I’m so curious how old are you) Anyway, you are wrong on pretty much everything. Tesla is born in Austrian Empire, later it was Austrian-Hungarian Empire whose passport he held when traveled to USA.
Now we’ll both agree that he was neither Austrian nor Hungarian, right? But following your logic he has to be!
So his father was Serb, priest in Serbian Orthodox Church; his mother’s father was also Serbian Orthodox priest. (no Croat is Orthodox Christian we know that). Both his parents were Serbs (so he should be as well, no?).
1892 he received “Order of St. Sava” from Alexander I of Serbia in Belgrade (so Tesla must have been present). There, in his acceptance speech he said: “Ja sam, kao sto vidite i cujete ostao Srbin i preko mora, gde se ispitivanjima bavim. To isto treba da budete i vi i da svojim znanjem i radom podizete slavu Srpstva u svetu.” (so he must have spoke Serbian as well!) Translation: “As you can see I stayed Serb across the sea where I’m researching. You should do the same: with your knowledge and work rise the glory of Serbdom across the world” (not perfect translation but hopefully enough understandable).
Now, since he was born in nowadays Croatia you should by all means embrace him but do not label him as something that he never was.
11 / 10 / 2014 3:51 pm
oh i really feel sad about this man he did so much for the devolopment of the human race but still all the credit is given to others tesla you are great
10 / 4 / 2015 9:41 pm
How he could be Croatian when he wished that on his funeral they play (Mars na Drinu) a Serbian patriotic sound. Its just funny how the Croatians ly