Before the Rain Movie Review 1994

War-torn Macedonia is the backdrop for Manchevski's first film (and first made in the newly declared republic of Macedonia). Powerful circular narrative joins three stories about the freedom of love and the pervasiveness of violence. "Words" finds young Macedonian monk Kiril (Colin) distracted from his spiritual duties by young Albanian Muslim Zamira (Mitevska), who takes refuge in his monastery. In "Faces," pregnant picture editor Anne (Cartlidge) is torn between her estranged husband and her lover, Aleksander (Serbedzija), a London-based war photographer who left his native Macedonia years before. "Pictures" finds Aleksandar returning to his old village--now torn by ethnic strife. In Macedonian, Albanian, and English, with subtitles.

Distribution

USA Home Entertainment, 1 W. Forest, Englewood, NJ 07631-4004, Phone: (201)871-1000, URL: http://www.polygram-us.com

Available on VHS
Running time 120 minutes.
Originally from British, French, Macedonian.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Romantic Drama, War, General, Religion, Rabbi

Screenplay

Milcho Manchevski

Cast

Rade Serbedzija, Katrin Cartlidge, Gregoire Colin, Labina Mitevska, Phyllida Law

Cinematography

Manuel Teran

Director

Milcho Manchevski

Music

Anastasia

Producer

Judy Counihan, Cedomir Kolar, Sam Taylor, Cat Villiers, Aim Productions, Noe Productions, Vardar Film

Awards

Ind. Spirit 1996: Foreign Film; Venice Film Fest. 1994: Golden Lion.