Jas sum od Titov Veles

I have mixed feelings about this film. While I was watching it, I didn't like it. Now I am thinking that maybe I have few objective reasons to consider it poor. The author seems to achieve her goals well.

My main regret was that the theme is shared with many recent Balkan films: yet another feature hammering on about decay of the society, the general failure of human lives here, the inadequacy of people to forge their destinies. This squalid perception of the present day seems to be spread in all (slavic) countries on the Balkans. I get enough of it in the every day conversations, I'd prefer if not all our film productions focused on it too.

This particular film is about three sisters in their 20s, left in their poor town Veles to take care of each other after their father had died years ago. Each is looking to find a future for herself in a different way. However, each of the ways involves escaping from the current reality. The oldest is looking for a marriage at any cost, the pretty - to emigrate to rich Greece, at any cost, the mute who is the protagonist escapes in her dreams (but she suffers most).

These three sisters are little mirrors of the Balkan people, thoroughly unhappy with our present situations, thoroughly feeling helpless and trampled on. The other focus of the film is about the patriarchal bringing up still characteristic for that generation, and how it shapes the woman to be quite vulnerable.

I suspect it is a success for the film-makers, that the managed to portray the lovely city of Veles as having such a gloomy atmosphere. Similarly, the sisters live in a hundred years old house that instead of charming feels rather depressing. The protracted unfolding of the story is also intentional to put us in even lower mood. The only light comes from the the lyrical character of the mute youngest sister, who is our story-teller.