‘Wanderlust’ Captivating Star Stefan Vukić Discusses Serbia’s International Feature Oscar Entry [VIDEO]

In Nenad Pavlović’s sophomore feature, Wanderlust (Izlet), Stefan Vukić plays Toma, a frustrated young artist, living in a 1950s totalitarian society (although it could be any time period), in search of personal and artistic freedom. When his beloved father dies, he decides to leave his family and voyage down the Danube River on a barge where he encounters a bunch of social misfits like himself. The boat captain leaves him stranded on a deserted island where he must figure out a way to survive and possibly thrive as an artist.

This fever dream cinematic voyage is Serbia’s International Feature Oscar entry and was written by Jovan Popovič and based on the novel by Mića Popović. And there’s a familial link since both Nenad and Jovan are Mića’s sons. The movie is shot in the style of the celebrated Yugoslav Black Wave films of the 1960s.

Central to the film’s success is a beguiling performance by Vukić, onscreen for most of the movie’s running time. The young actor captivates, as he faces life’s extremities and finds his own path, identity and means of artistic expression.

In his youth, Vukić started out as a competitive athlete but shifted focus to the arts. In the last two decades he’s amassed quite a body of work in Serbian theater, film, and television.

His film credits include The Man Who Defended Gavrilo Princip (2014), Soldier’s Lullaby (2018), Dara of Jasenovac (2020), Liberta (2022), Nedelja (2024) and The Duke and the Poet. TV appearances include Awakening (2021), Time of Evil (2021) and the Brit series Miss Scarlet and the Duke (2022).

The Contending had the pleasure of a VIDEO chat with this rising international star.