The films of Emir Kusturica are essential viewing for any would-be Balkan traveller, from his earlier, bittersweet tales of growing up in communist Yugoslavia ('Do You Remember Dolly Bell?' and 'When Father Was Away on Business' being highlights) to his more volcanic celebrations of regional absurdity (such as 'Underground', 'Black Cat, White Cat' and 'Life is a Miracle'), resplendent with frantic pacing and brass bands. Now Kusturica could be adding to Bosnia and Herzegovina's physical landscape, not just its cultural one.

Having announced his intention to adapt Bosnian author Ivo Andric's Nobel prize winning 'The Bridge on the Drina', he's chasing funding in order to reconstruct the town of Kamengrad, near the titular Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge at Višegrad in Bosnia's semi-autonomous Serb entity, the Republika Srpska. He hopes if constructed, it'll be allowed to remain standing as a tourist attraction once filming is completed.

“In order to fulfill this grandiose cultural project, the state has to back it up,” said Kusturica to Glas Srpske. “As it stands, Serbia is interested to help filming Andric’s tale and the president of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, is willing and very eager to help [with the] construction.”

It won't be the first time Kusturica has build a town from scratch and Drvengrad, near Užice in the east of Serbia, was built specifically for 2004's sublimely beautiful 'Life is a Miracle', and remains not only his home, but home to art retreats, a ski resort and a film festival. If he recreates a similar feat for 'The Bridge on the Drina', it'll not only bring much needed tourism to the Republika Srpska which is often overlooked in favour of Mostar and Sarajevo, but provide a sorely needed celebration of Bosnia and Herzegovina's unique history and culture.