Fiennes at the Belgrade Philharmonic. Photo: Beta/Belgrade Philharmonic/Marko Djokovic

Serbia has granted citizenship to the British actor and director Ralph Fiennes, who is filming a movie about a Soviet ballet dancing legend in Belgrade.

The latest issue of Serbia’s national gazette said the decision was signed by Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on September 7, Beta news agency reports.

Fiennes is currently in Belgrade where he is directing a film about Rudolf Nureyev, the Soviet-born ballet dancer who dramatically fled the USSR and became the director, and later chief choreographer, of the Paris Opera Ballet.

The Belgrade Philharmonic is collaborating with Fiennes on this project.

The British-born actor made his directorial debut in Serbia with an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Coriolanus in 2010.

Fiennes was also present at the inauguration ceremony for Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vucic.