ALEKSANDROVAC, Serbia — Like many boys his age, 14-year-old Aksentije wanted to become a secret agent, at least on the big screen like his idol Antonio Banderas.
Despite a gloomy prognosis at birth when doctors gave him only a year to live then growing up with Down's syndrome in a country where such disabilities carry an unshakeable social stigma, Aksentije has achieved his dream.
Despite a gloomy prognosis at birth when doctors gave him only a year to live then growing up with Down's syndrome in a country where such disabilities carry an unshakeable social stigma, Aksentije has achieved his dream.
For several years he and his cousin Aleksandra, a drama student, have been making short films including the touching and optimistic "The Story", which won a special prize at a film festival in the northern city of Novi Sad.
"I have always wanted to be an actor, this is why we made this film," he said proudly.
"We worked a lot, every day we had to repeat (scenes), but that was not difficult at all," the boy, whose nickname is Aca, told AFP.
"The Story" relates not only to Aksentije's own struggle but to that of disabled Serbians whose aspirations are often thwarted by social prejudice or shame.
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