HEROES OF HALYARD FILM IN THE CINEMA OF THE ROYAL PALACE

Belgrade, 19 December 2023 – The projection of the film “Heroes of the Halyard” was organized last night at the cinema of the Royal Palace in Belgrade, hosted by TRH Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine.

His Royal Highness was very interested in watching the film about this important historical topic, but he could not attend the premiere due to obligations abroad. As they already talked about this at the commemoration for the Halyard Mission in Pranjani in September this year, Mr. Rados Bajic, the Screenwriter and Director, was very happy to organize playing at the home of the Royal Family of Serbia. Together with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, the film was watched by members of the Contrast Studio team, the Crown Council, the Royal Medical Board, the Managing Board of the Crown Prince’s Foundation for Education and Culture, the Kingdom of Serbia Association, and members of the Royal Palace staff. 

Mr. Bajic expressed his happiness for the opportunity to show his award-winning film in the home of the Royal Family of Serbia, as it is the most natural place for a story like this to be presented.

“I am very grateful to our dear friend Rados not only for bringing this film to our home but for making it before all. Heroes of Halyard Mission, brave soldiers of the Yugoslav Army in their Homeland, who risked their lives to save allied pilots must always be remembered. This is the film that needed to be made and had to be made, not only because of our ancestors, but because of us, our people, and our national remembrance. Maybe we have waited too long for this story to be told, but the waiting was worth it.

The pilots who were rescued, although often referred to as “Forgotten 500” are not actually forgotten. And neither are all those brave women and men, who, under the command of their fearless leader, General Dragoljub Mihailovic, and my father, HM King Peter II as Supreme Commander of the Army, started and successfully conducted the operation of saving their allies. Their bravery and determination to live in a free world are a milestone that shows us the path for the future”, said Crown Prince Alexander on this occasion.

At the heart of the film-television project "Heroes of the Halyard" is a war drama, a story inspired by the largest single rescue operation of Allied pilots behind enemy lines in the history of world aviation, known under the code name "Operation Hallyard". The story of "Hallyard" is the apotheosis of charity, nobility, and patriotism. It is a saga about the tragedy of a time, heroism, hopelessness, family, divisions, and schisms - about an imposed future that was stolen from the Serbian people by the will of the powerful ones.

All photos @HRH Crown Prince Alexander

During Operation Halyard in 1944, over 500 United States and British pilots, together with aircrews from Russia, France, and other Allied countries, were taken to freedom from an improvised airstrip in the Village of Pranjani near Gornji Milanovac. This was one of the largest rescue missions conducted behind enemy lines. It was an operation led by the Royal Yugoslav Army in the Homeland and the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS). United States President Harry S. Truman decorated posthumously General Dragoljub Mihailovic with the Legion of Merit, one of the highest decorations of the United States, for his support to Allied forces and contribution to victory in World War II.