Predrag Miki Manojlović

Predrag Miki Manojlović
Name	Predrag Miki Manojlović
Birth date	1940-05-25
Birth place	Belgrade, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1960s–present

Predrag Miki Manojlović is a Serbian film and stage actor whose career spans several decades across Yugoslav, Serbian, and international cinema. Renowned for collaborations with prominent directors and distinguished appearances at major film festivals, he became a leading figure in Balkan performing arts. Manojlović's body of work includes landmark films, theatre productions, and television, earning him recognition from cultural institutions and film academies.

Early life and education

Born in Belgrade during the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Manojlović grew up amid the social and cultural transformations of post‑war Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. He attended local schools in Belgrade before pursuing formal dramatic training at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, University of Arts in Belgrade, a notable institution that educated contemporaries associated with the Yugoslav Black Wave and the broader European art cinema movement. His formative years intersected with the careers of actors and directors from institutions such as the National Theatre (Belgrade), the Atelje 212 theatre, and film crews working at Avala Film and Zastava Film studios.

Acting career

Manojlović's professional debut occurred on the stage of repertory theatres in Belgrade and touring ensembles that performed across republics of Socialist Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Croatia, and Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He first gained national attention through appearances in films produced by studios like Avala Film and in television projects broadcast on Radio Television Belgrade. Manojlović later collaborated with internationally acclaimed directors including Emir Kusturica, Goran Paskaljević, Dušan Makavejev, and Krzysztof Kieślowski—filmmakers connected to festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and Berlin International Film Festival. His career bridged mainstream Yugoslav cinema and art‑house projects screened at institutions like the European Film Academy.

He expanded into international co‑productions involving companies and film personnel from France, Italy, Germany, and United Kingdom, working alongside actors represented by agencies in Los Angeles and London. Manojlović also taught masterclasses and participated in film juries at events including the Pula Film Festival and the Belgrade International Film Festival (FEST).

Notable film and theatre roles

Manojlović's filmography features starring and supporting roles in films that became part of the canon of Yugoslav cinema and European cinema. He is closely associated with performances in films by Emir Kusturica, which gained awards at festivals such as Cannes Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival. Other collaborations include work with Goran Paskaljević—whose films screened at Venice Film Festival—and with auteurs like Dušan Makavejev and Krzysztof Kieślowski, linked to the Polish Film School and the broader Eastern European cinema tradition.

On stage, Manojlović performed in productions at venues such as the National Theatre (Belgrade), Atelje 212, and the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, taking on roles in plays by playwrights like Borisav Stanković, Branislav Nušić, William Shakespeare, and Anton Chekhov, staged by directors who trained at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts or worked in the Moscow Art Theatre tradition. His theatre work often toured repertory circuits in Zagreb, Sarajevo, Ljubljana, and Skopje.

Awards and honours

Throughout his career Manojlović received awards from film festivals and cultural institutions across Europe. He has been a recipient of national recognitions from the government of Serbia and cultural awards presented at the Pula Film Festival, FEST Belgrade, and regional critics' associations. Internationally, his films garnered prizes at major events including the Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and the Berlin International Film Festival, often bringing ensemble or individual accolades to actors and crews associated with Manojlović's projects. He has been honored by film academies such as the European Film Academy and received lifetime achievement and critics' awards from institutions in Zagreb and Belgrade.

Personal life

Manojlović's personal life has intersected with the cultural circles of Belgrade and the wider Balkan artistic community. He maintained professional and private relationships with contemporaries from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, University of Arts in Belgrade and collaborators who worked at venues like Atelje 212 and the National Theatre (Belgrade). His public presence included participation in panels alongside figures from institutions such as the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts and appearances at retrospectives of directors like Emir Kusturica and Goran Paskaljević.

Philanthropy and public activities

Manojlović engaged in cultural advocacy, supporting festivals and institutions that promote film and theatre in the Western Balkans and across Europe. He participated in benefit performances and public campaigns connected to organizations such as the Belgrade International Film Festival (FEST), the Pula Film Festival, and arts foundations tied to the European Film Academy. His involvement included serving on juries, lecturing at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, University of Arts in Belgrade, and supporting initiatives aimed at preserving film archives at institutions like Avala Film and national film libraries in Serbia and neighboring republics.

Category:Serbian actors Category:20th-century Serbian male actors Category:21st-century Serbian male actors