Monday, January 16, 2012

Before the Rain (1994)

Before the Rain (1994)
Before the Rain • Пред дождот (1994)

Genre: Drama
Director: Milčo Mančevski
Starring: Katrin Cartlidge, Rade Serbedzija, Grégoire Colin, Labina Mitevska
Language: Macedonian, English, Albanian
Duration: 113 min.
Rating: 8.0  

Summary:
A story of the violence and political chaos tearing apart the newly independent nation of Macedonia.



Before the Rain is the debut feature film by writer and director Milčo Mančevski.  It premiered at the 1994 Venice Film Festival, winning the Golden Lion for Best Film.  It was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 1995, losing to Russia's Burnt by the Sun.

The film has an interesting non-linear narrative that loosely intertwines three parts in an inventive fashion.  In a ploy similar to another much popular film that came out in 1994, the story unravels in a manner that never makes it clear in exactly which order the events are taking place.  The first part is set in a remote monastery in Macedonia and follows a young monk name Kiril (Grégoire Colin), who after taking a vow of silence must make a life changing decision; then the second moves to the hustle and bustle of London where Aleksandr (Rade Serbedzija) a Pulitzer Prize winning Macedonian photographer, and Anne (Katrin Cartlidge) a photo editor, try to work out their complicated relationship; and then the third part goes back to Macedonia as Aleksandr returns to his birthplace after sixteen years away. 

With moments of stunning beauty, especially the breathtaking Macedonian vistas in the first part, and a pervasive threat of sudden violence bubbling beneath its calm surface, Mančevski gives us an emotionally powerful film with a strong political message warning of the dangers of escalating hostilities.  It's led with a masterful acting performance from Rade Serbedzija, who keeps the film afloat with his subtle brilliance even when the sometimes heavy melodrama threatens to drag it down.  It's also interesting to see a very young Grégoire Colin displaying his talents in an early role.

It's not quite a masterpiece, as there are some terribly misguided soap opera moments that weaken the overall impact, and many of the characters are silly stereotypes.  But the apropos timing in which it was made, right during the height of the Yugoslavian Wars, and the unique thought-provoking way in which the story plays out, makes this a poignant and moving achievement that I can definitely recommend.

Bonjour Tristesse

Before the Rain (1994)

Before the Rain (1994)

Before the Rain (1994)

Before the Rain (1994)

Before the Rain (1994)

Before the Rain (1994)

Before the Rain (1994)

Before the Rain (1994)

3 comments:

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Haha I'm glad you enjoyed that.

d_4 said...

Well, if you can recommend.. I still don't know, but I'll check it out eventually.

FrontRoomCinema said...

Looks good. I like your line about misguided soap opera... I did chuckle!!

Thanks matey

Post a Comment