BOR / SURGUT – The well-known mechanical engineer, writer, and singer-songwriter Dragan Sokolov, who has been creating for years under his internationally recognized artistic name Siberian Falcon, has officially announced work on his debut short documentary film titled “How Football Helped Basketball.”
The film is based on real, dramatic events in frozen Siberia, which Sokolov previously adapted into his highly popular biographical book “The Captain” – dedicated to the historic success of Serbian basketball player Nikola Lepojević in Russia.
This creation represents not just a classic sports story, but a deep, intimate chronicle of emigration, nostalgia, the healing of old sports wounds, and the absolute power of true male friendship that knows no geographical borders or time zones.
An Unlikely Union: A Football Mentality for Basketball Gold
The film’s plot takes the audience to the frozen oil giant Surgut (Western Siberia), where the destinies of two Serbs crossed in 2009. Nikola Lepojević, a top scorer at the peak of his career, spent years losing the championship title in the dramatic finals of the Russian league, weighed down by loneliness and the distance from his hometown of Kraljevo. On the other hand, Dragan Sokolov managed the construction of a state-of-the-art medical complex in Surgut, but carried with him an unhealed trauma from his youth – a broken football dream from the days when he was the captain of the golden youth generation of FC Bor in the elite Quality League of Serbia.
The turning point occurred during the dramatic 2016/17 competitive season. Sensing his friend’s despair, Sokolov made the decision to subordinate his artistic and sports instincts to Nikola’s success. He mobilized the fans, wrote club anthems, and on the eve of the decisive match on the other side of Russia, in Vladivostok, wrote an open letter to the players. The text became a viral sensation, picked up by leading Russian sports media . The letter, read in the locker room right before stepping onto the court, boosted the team’s fighting spirit by one hundred percent and led the club to a historic Russian championship title.
A Star-Studded Cast: Nebojša Dugalić as Narrator and Sports Legends as Guests
A significant production milestone for this documentary is the confirmed participation of the celebrated Serbian actor Nebojša Dugalić, whose powerful voice and artistic charisma will guide the audience through the story as the official narrator. Additionally, negotiations are underway regarding the potential appearance of legendary football and basketball giants as special guests, which will elevate the project to an elite regional and international level.
The famous Serbian actor and professor Nebojša Dugalić, who officially confirmed his participation in the project, will give a special stamp and artistic weight to this documentary. Dugalić’s recognizable sensibility and acting maturity will contribute to this deeply emotional story about friendship, emigration and unfulfilled dreams getting a top dramatic dimension.
A Fully Independent Project with Cinematic Potential
The documentary “How Football Helped Basketball” will be built on a unique visual contrast between harsh Siberian exteriors at -40°C and the warmth of the sports locker room. In addition to exclusive, never-before-seen archival footage from Russian television, private video recordings, and testimonies from the participants themselves, the film will feature a completely original soundtrack. The complete music and songs in the film are the work of Dragan Sokolov («Siberian Falcon»), whose musical opus has been successfully broadcast for years on global platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify and Boomplay.
Next year, the project will be submitted to the Film Center Serbia (FCS) competition in the category for script development and advancement. Given that all archival and screenplay materials are already secured, the film is expected to quickly enter the production phase and achieve a notable festival life in Serbia, the region, and across the Russian Federation. The film’s premiere is scheduled for the Zlatibor Sports Film Festival (the penultimate week of August 2027).
All supporting information, texts, and audio recordings related to this project can be found on the author’s official website: www.siberianfalcon.com .
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dragan Sokolov (Siberian Falcon)
Official Website: www.siberianfalcon.com
Bor, Republic of Serbia