GET HER OUT! Milica Tomovic’s Kicked Meghan Out Of Sarajevo Film Festival’s CineLink Industry Platform.

Meghan Markle was kicked out of a Serbian filmmaker’s photo as they took the top prize at the Saro Film Festival. The stars were out in full force at the 2024 Saro Film Festival, but one A-list celebrity found herself unceremoniously booted from a photo op. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was attending the festival’s CineLink Industry Platform when she approached Serbian filmmaker Milica Tavić, whose project Big Woman Photo had just been named the winner of the prestigious €20,000 Eurimages Co-Production Development Award.

Tavić, 34, was posing for photos with her producing partner and lead actress when Markle attempted to insert herself into the group shot. However, Tavić firmly but politely pushed Markle aside, telling her, “This is our moment, not yours,” before resuming the photo with just her team.

The incident, which was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media, has sparked a heated debate about celebrity culture, power dynamics in the film industry, and whether Tavić was justified in her actions. Some have praised Tavić for standing her ground and not allowing Markle to hijack the spotlight, while others have accused her of being rude and disrespectful to a prominent public figure. Markle herself has not publicly commented on the incident.

For Tavić, the CineLink win represents a major career milestone. Her project Big Woman Photo is a gritty, semi-autobiographical drama that follows a struggling single mother trying to make ends meet in the impoverished Balkan region. The film explores themes of poverty, body positivity, and female empowerment, all issues that are close to Tavić’s heart.

“This project is a very personal one for me,” Tavić said in her acceptance speech. “It’s about the everyday struggles that women like me face and the strength and resilience we find within ourselves to keep going, no matter what obstacles are placed in our path.”

The win at Saro is just the latest in a string of accolades for Tavić, whose previous films have screened at prestigious festivals around the world, including Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. She has earned a reputation as a bold, fearless, and unapologetic filmmaker who is not afraid to tackle tough, socially relevant topics.

“Milica is exactly the kind of filmmaker we need more of in the industry,” said Saro Film Festival Director Jovan Marinović. “Her work is raw, honest, and deeply impactful. She’s giving a voice to marginalized communities and challenging the status quo, and that’s exactly the kind of storytelling that deserves to be celebrated and supported.”

The Eurimages award will provide crucial funding for Tavić to further develop Big Woman Photo and bring it to the screen. She plans to begin shooting in early 2025, with the goal of premiering the film at one of the major European film festivals later that year.

Markle’s attempted photo bomb, meanwhile, has only served to further fuel the ongoing debate around her public persona and the perception that she often seeks to insert herself into narratives that are not her own. The Duchess has faced criticism in the past for what some have seen as opportunistic or tone-deaf behavior, such as her appearance at the 2021 Global Citizen Live event in New York, where she and Prince Harry delivered a speech on vaccine equity while surrounded by a sea of celebrities.

“Meghan clearly has a habit of trying to make every situation about her,” said royal commentator Penny Junor. “She just can’t resist the temptation to be in the spotlight, even when it’s not her place to be there.”

Others, however, have defended Markle, arguing that she is simply trying to use her platform to amplify important causes and that she is unfairly singled out for criticism in a way that her male counterparts are not. Regardless of where one stands on the issue, the Saro incident has undoubtedly added fuel to the ongoing public fascination with Markle and her relationship with the British royal family.

For Tavić, the focus remains firmly on her filmmaking and the important story she is trying to tell with Big Woman Photo. She has no regrets about pushing Markle aside and insists that she was simply protecting the integrity of her own project.

“This moment was about my team, my film, and the incredible women whose stories I’m privileged to bring to life,” Tavić said. “I wasn’t going to let anyone, no matter who they are, take that away from us.”

As she prepares to begin production on her latest feature, Tavić is hopeful that the Saro win will help to further elevate her profile and bring much-needed attention to the issues she cares about.

“My goal is to make films that challenge people, that make them think, and that ultimately inspire change,” she said. “If I can do that, then I’ll consider my work a success, no matter who tries to get in my way.”