Jelena Mila is an actress, producer, screenwriter, director, and academic with a rich career spanning theater, film, and television. She holds a Master’s degree in Acting from the Faculty of Drama Arts at Belgrade University (1993) and a Master’s degree in Cinema Studies from Stockholm University (2019), where she is currently pursuing her PhD. Additionally, she studied Orthodox Theology at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade (1993-1995).

Since graduating, Jelena has worked as a freelance actress and producer in national theaters across Serbia, Montenegro, and Sweden, including the prestigious Royal National Theatre (Dramaten) in Stockholm. She has also appeared in numerous films and TV series, both in the Balkans and internationally, earning accolades for her performances.

Jelena is the founder of M.A.M.M.A. Production, through which she has written, directed, and produced several theater plays and films. Her notable works include the feature film Iron Warrioresses (2018), which she wrote, directed, and produced, and the co-production of the award-winning film Led/Ice (2012). She is also the founder of the Balkan New Film Festival (BaNeFF) in Sweden and Norway, and the Forteca International Film Festival in Montenegro.

As a playwright, Jelena has written eight drama plays, including Iron Warrioresses and Av hjärtat krigarinnor, which explore the lives of remarkable women in history. Her latest project, Empress Helena, is a historical drama that she is producing and directing.

In addition to her creative work, Jelena is an experienced educator, having taught acting and theater at various institutions, including AlZaahra School and ABF TeaterVerket in Sweden. She is also a member of several professional organizations, including the Swedish Theatre Union, Women in Film and Television (WIFT), and the Foreign Press Association in Sweden.

Jelena’s contributions to the arts have been recognized with numerous awards, including Best Actress for her role in the TV series Ravna Gora (2014) and Best Producer at the Cyprus and Peloponnesian International Film Festivals (2013). She has also served as a jury member at several international film festivals, including the Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival and the Dakhla International Film Festival.

Fluent in English, Swedish, and multiple ex-Yugoslav languages, Jelena continues to work between Belgrade and Stockholm, where she resides. She is dedicated to promoting cultural exchange and empowering women in the film industry through her global project SNOWE (Women in Film, Creative Networking).

For more information, visit her official website.