Emmy-winner Jack Baric to bring Croatia’s 1992 Olympic basketball story to the big screen

Jack Baric (Photo credit: John Mattera)

“More Than a Dream” chronicles the underdog team that defied war, adversity, and the legendary U.S. Dream Team to win silver for a fledgling nation.

Emmy Award–winning and Croatian-American filmmaker Jack Baric is set to begin production on More Than a Dream, a powerful new sports documentary chronicling the remarkable journey of the Croatian national basketball team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

The film will explore Croatia’s unforgettable run to the silver medal in its first Olympic appearance as an independent nation, culminating in a historic showdown against the legendary United States men’s Olympic basketball team.

While the American “Dream Team” dominated headlines, Croatia’s path to the final carried far deeper significance. At the time, Croatia was in the midst of its war for independence, facing widespread devastation, loss of life, and mass displacement.

Against this backdrop, and led by Croatian basketball legends Dražen Petrović, Toni Kukoč, Dino Rađa, and Stojko Vranković, Croatia emerged as a global basketball force, capturing the world’s attention despite entering the tournament as underdogs.

The team’s Olympic journey became a symbol of resilience and national pride.

It is Baric’s hope that the production unites Croatians around the world to help tell the story of the 1992 Croatia team and how they brought hope to the Croatian people during the dark times of war.

He stated, “The story of the ’92 team is extraordinarily special. It deserves a massive global audience, and I believe that channeling the passion that our people have for Croatia can make that happen. From investors to young Croatian street team members handing out stickers at events, to everyone engaging on social media to tell our non-Croatian friends about the team, we can together make this the biggest sports film of the year when it comes out.”    

Kukoč, who has already sat down with Baric for an interview, said, “Representing Croatia in 1992 was one of the greatest honors of my life. Our people were going through a very hard time, and the Olympics were much more than a basketball tournament for me and my teammates. We wanted to do something for our people. I’m thankful to Jack for telling the story of what that team meant, not just for basketball, but for Croatia.”

Baric describes the project as more than a sports documentary.

“More Than a Dream is about a nation fighting to define itself under impossible circumstances, and the courage of athletes who carried the hopes of an entire country onto the world stage,” he said. “Their journey to Barcelona, facing the greatest team ever assembled, is a testament to resilience, love, unity, and the unbreakable human spirit.”

Full production of the film is slated to begin in May and will feature interviews with various sports, cultural, and political figures from Croatia and the United States over archival footage of the team, Olympic games, and wartime Croatia.

Baric plans to premiere the film at the LA28 Olympics. The Croatian Olympic Committee last year signed an agreement to host their LA28 Croatia House on the Los Angeles waterfront. Baric explained that this decision was made due to the large Croatian community that lives in San Pedro, next to the harbor.

“In my opinion, this is going to be the most exciting Olympics ever for Croatians to attend because of all the events being planned,” he said. “There’s going to be things such as seaside Croatian concerts, and I’ll be excited to add to the fun by including a big screening of our film during the games.” 

The documentary’s full synopsis reads…

While the Dream Team commanded the global spotlight during the 1992 Olympics, the Croatian squad arrived in Barcelona with little fanfare. Back home, the newly independent nation was fighting the deadliest conflict on European soil since World War II, a war that claimed more than 10,000 Croatian lives and displaced over 300,000 people.

With a third of their country under siege and fierce fighting all around them, the Croatians risked everything just to make it to practice and games. Leading the charge were four players who were among the first wave of international stars to enter the NBA: Drazen Petrovic of the New Jersey Nets, Toni Kukoc of the Chicago Bulls, and Boston Celtics big men Dino Radja and Stojko Vrankovic.

The entire world knew the Dream Team was destined for gold in 1992, so the real race was to see who would face them in the final. Croatia, Russia, Lithuania, Brazil, and Australia all vied for that spot, with Croatia ultimately earning the right to meet the Americans in the championship game.

Stay connected and be part of the journey, follow the film on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook for the latest updates, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, and upcoming announcements.