Production: Polygram; Aim Production; Noah Production; Vardar Film – Skopje
Country of origin: Republic of Macedonia, England, France
Genre: social
Genre: Feature film
Duration: 119 minutes
Year: 1994
Synopsis: The film “Before the Rain” in its film narrative contains three interconnected units. They are titled “Words”, “Faces” and “Pictures”. The action in “Words” takes place in the ancient male monastery somewhere in Macedonia. The young monk Kiril, vowed to remain silent, finds in his attic cell Zamira, an Albanian girl who looks more like a child. He does not understand Albanian, but there is no doubt that she is seeking refuge here from some evil. She keeps silent about her presence in the monastery even when the armed villagers are looking for her to try her for the murder of a fellow villager. He is scared when they search the monastery and is really happy when they do not find it. The older monks notice his silent fear. Deep in the night they enter Kiril’s cell and find the girl. The punishment for the monk is to leave the monastery. Under the cover of night, passing by the drunken village guard, Cyril and Zamira leave the security of the monastery walls. It is already day, they pass through a rocky mountainous area. Cyril, filled with care and love for the girl, promises security somewhere far from the village and the mountain. She does not understand his speech, but she understands his love. The kiss on her face and her hands seeking refuge around his body are the only physical contact between them. But here, next to them, are her relatives and fellow villagers. Her grandfather, with the sternness of a tribal elder, brings her back to reality. She tries to explain that Cyril helped her, that he saved her and that he loves her. The grandfather chases Cyril with his relentless authority. He hesitates. Zamira screams after him. She runs towards him. Her brother shoots. Prejudice leaves no possibility for a different end. Cyril is next to Zamira, looking at him she dies. The “faces” in the second part of the movie “Before the Rain” take place in a completely different world, dynamic, modern, urban London. Pulitzer Prize winner Aleksandar Kirkov, a Macedonian who left his homeland a long time ago, has been working for a world-famous photo agency. A passionate love story takes place between him and Ann, a young woman who works in the same agency. Alexander invites her to go with him. While Ann struggles with her dilemma whether to leave the certainty in which she lives and leave with Alexander in the unpredictable future, in the bar where she talks to her husband, an incident occurs with tragic consequences. In the fight between the Balkan emigrants, among the other dead is her husband. “Pictures”, the third part of the film, takes place in Macedonia. Alexander returns home, to his homeland, seeking refuge in the long-dreamed peace of his homeland and not thinking that a different, but no less ruthless war is being waged here. The landscapes of his homeland are the same, but the relations between the people have changed drastically. In the end where two different peoples live, with different religious affiliations, the relations are extremely polarized. There is mistrust between them, the spark of a possible collision is felt in the air. Armed people are found everywhere, fear is ingrained in their souls. Alexander’s relatives receive him with joy, but also with wonder. His birthplace is ruined. Honest in his intentions and honest in his actions towards people, Aleksandar visits his friends in the neighboring Albanian village, he wants to see his former classmate Hana, to whom he nurtured tender feelings as a boy. She is now a widow and mother of two children, son and daughter Zamira. Still unadapted to the atmosphere that prevailed over the people, Alexander is engaged in rescuing Zamira who is locked in a sheepfold on charges of killing one of his relatives. He, without fear of the armed villagers, takes the girl out of the sheepfold. His cousin, faced with his own powerlessness before Alexander’s superiority, shoots him. Alexander’s life ended in the areas where he grew up and at the hands of the people he longed for.
Awards: 1994 MFF, Venice, Golden Lion for Best Picture 1994 MFF, Venice, FIPRESCI (Critics Award) 1994 MFF, Venice, UNICEF / “Before the Rain” 1994 MFF, Venice, Premio Chinemavenire, Young Audience Award 1994 MF , First Audience Award 1994 MFF, Venice, Rolling Venice, Venice City Award 1994 MFF, Venice, Golden Lion, Italian Students Award 1994 MFF, Venice, International Catholic Film Organization Award 1994 MFF, Venice, Trade Union Award ” Francesco Pasinati “for Best Actor for Rade Serbedzija 1994 MFF, Venice, Kodak Award for Findingdebut film 1994 MFF, Toronto, Second Audience Award 1994 MFF, Sao Paulo, Audience Award for Best Film 1994 MFF, Puerto Rico, Jury Award for Best Film 1994 MFF, Puerto Rico, Audience Award for Best Film 1994 MFF, Puerto Rico, Best Director 1994 MFF, Puerto Rico, Best Debut Film 1994 MFF, Stockholm, Best Debut Film 1995 MFF, Mons, Belgium, Golden Charlie 1995 MFF, St. Petersburg, Grand Prix 1995 MFF, Spain film 1995 IFF, Gorizia, Italy, Best Screenplay 1995 Film Forum, Bratislava, Slovakia, Best Film 1995 IFF, Pantelleria, Italy, UNESCO Award 1995 IFF, Warsaw, Poland, Audience Award 1995 Austria, 1995 Catholic Film Award di Donatello Special Award for Non-Italian Film 1995 Swedish Film Institute, Golden Bug for Best Foreign Language Film 1995 Oscar Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film 1995 October 11 State Award 1996 Independen t Spirit, Best Foreign Language Film
Authors:
Directed by: Manchevski Milcho
Screenplay: Manchevski Milcho
Director of Photography: Teran Manuel
Editing: Gaster Nicholas
Starring: Josifovski Josif, Cartridge Juliet Catherine, Ristoski Kiril, Mitevska Labina, Serbedzija Rade, Colin Gregoire
Supporting role: Shala Abdurahman, Mikic Aleksandar, Klinche Attila, Spirkoski Blagoja – Dzumerko, Stefanovski Ilko, Kocevska Katerina, Psaltirov Kiril, Bresliski Ljupco, Jovanovski Meto, Stojanova Milica, Krstevski Nivarovska, Krstevski Mladen, M Vladimir, Jacev Vladimir, Maksut Xhemail, Todorovski Ljupco – Upa
Producer: Tozija Gorjan, Konihan Judy, Kolar Chedomir
Costume Design: Harris Caroline, Veland Sue
Music: “Anastasia”
Scenography: Sharon of Lomof, Moon’s David
Tone: Hobbes Aidan
Light: Petar Bogoevski
Assistant director: Damevski Simeon – Moni
Scenography assistant: Nikola Lazarevski
Costume Design Assistant: Zaklina Krstevska
