Radmila Djurica

To emphasize the exclusivity, the guest of festival Susan Ray,  the widow of film director Nicholas Ray and Chairperson of the Nicholas Ray Fund, presented and supported film to be made in Belgrade and to be directed by Serbian film director Dinko Tucaković “Doctor Ray And The Devils” about Susan’s husband Nicholas Ray. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of US film director Nicholas Ray, most famous for his film „Rebel without a Cause“, with late James Dean. Just to remind, released soon after Dean's death the film had a powerful effect on the youth culture and according to Tucaković, "outside of its social and pop-cultural context, Rebel without a Cause is the purest expression of Ray's style and vision, with an expressionist use of colors, dramatic usage of architecture and empathy towards misfits". Nicholas Ray was introduced to the world of media and work on radio at the University of Wisconsin where he has encountered  Frank Lloyd Right and play writer Thornton Wilder, who had a powerful effect on his work. At first Ray had directed only one Broadway play, Lord Ellington's musical „Beggar's Banquet“ 1946 and only year later he directed first film „They Live at Night“, film noir recognizable for ” its empathy for young social misfits, which later became a permanent feature in Ray's films.“ “ According to Susan Ray, wife of the late Nicholas Ray, he loved young people and believed that they gave him life, the meaning of his work and existence and found an inspiration in young people, for his films. „Nicholas believed that young people were the future and that they would be able to change society. In order to have a better future, it is important to have determined quality young people in the present, because they are able to fulfill our dreams about the future.” Nickolas believed that film is „a cathedral of art and that all other art is in service of film. Film offered him much more opportunities to express himself,” explained Susan.

Tucaković's film is actually about Nicholas Ray’s visit to Belgrade and Zagreb in 60s, where he was suppose to shoot the film featuring many great names, including the James Mason. 

Susan Ray came to Belgrade and to 39th International Film Festival FEST to support Dinko Tucakovic’s film about her husband and the program in the Yugoslav Film Archive (that is taken care by Tucakovic), which will be the very first program out of many international programs, to indicate and celebrate hundred year from the birth of Nicholas Ray. For now it is known that role of Nicholas Ray in the film, will be handled by British actor Paul Murray.

For the time being, Serbian film director Dinko Tucaković, has invested a lot of time, love and commitment into this project and we all believe in his film. be