On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the world-renowned classic "Before the Rain", a golden gala premiere of a restored copy of the cult film was held on Monday in the packed hall of the Macedonian Philharmonic.
This work, which is a cultural heritage that director Milcho Manchevski presents to Macedonia, caused an avalanche of emotions and ovations from the audience.
The premiere was also attended by foreign guests from the crew who came from London, Paris and Croatia – actor Rade Šerbedžija, production designer and Oscar winner David Mance, director of photography Manuel Teran, editor Nicholas Gaster – and part of the Macedonian crew Petar Mirčevski, Silvija Stojanovska, Suzana Kirandžiska, Katerina Kocevska and Zlatko Origjanski.
"People ask me why there are no more happy endings in my films. Today, 30 years after the success of "Before the Rain", I am forbidden from filming in Macedonia. Enjoy the play," Manchevski said at the press conference before the premiere.
Rade Šerbedžija told how he met Milčo, who found him in London after several years in 1992. He gave him the script for "Before the Rain" in a Soho café. Rade read it twice that same night, and the next day, when they met again, Milčo asked him what he thought of it.
"I told him, it's great! Milcho told me that he wrote the character of Aleksandar for me. I asked him how, when he didn't even know me, and he told me, well, you've acted in 5 films by my favorite director Živojin Pavlović, I know you," said Šerbedžija.
He then recounted an incident from the press conference for the premiere of Before the Rain, when a journalist asked Milcho why the film had three parts and was not one whole.
"And Milcho, after a long dramatic pause, just said - 'That's why'," Rade added.
Actress Silvija Stojanovska stressed that she feels immense gratitude for being lucky enough to be part of a timeless story in "Before the Rain": "Today, after 30 years, the film still represents an inspiration for new generations of filmmakers. "Before the Rain" is a cinematic and cultural legacy that Milcho leaves to Macedonia," says Stojanovska.
Exactly 30 years ago, "Before the Rain" triumphed in Venice, winning the Golden Lion for Best Film and 9 other awards at the Festival. The festival director, Gillo Pontecorvo, shouted at the ceremony: "Enough, Signor Milcho!"
But it was far from enough – in the next year and a half, "Before the Rain", the first Macedonian film to win at the world's most prestigious festival, won another 30 festival awards around the world, and was screened in cinemas in 60 countries.
The New York Times subsequently listed "Before the Rain" among the 1,000 best films of all time, and Venice named a side award at the Festival after the film's motto, "The Circle is Not Round."
"Before the Rain" continued to live an exceptional life in the world – it was the subject of scientific conferences and dozens of scientific papers, became part of the curriculum at hundreds of universities around the world, and in Italy is also part of high school reading.
Photo: SEE THIS
English 
Macedonian