This horror movie is both directed and written by Goran Stolevski as his directorial debut movie. In this movie, a peasant naive girl from the 19th century Macedonia had been taken from the sheltered life of the solitude, turned into the shapeshifter by the witch, and then abandoned it.
Cast Lists
Sara Klimoska acted as Nevena
Senka Kolozova as Biliana’s Grandmother
Djordje Koćić acted as Woodcutter
Anamaria Marinca acted as Maria
Djordje Misina acted as Miroslav
Milena Nikolić acted as Boris’ Wife
Marija Opsenica acted as Ur-Witch
Nikola Ristanovski acted as Milan
Noomi Rapace acted as Bosilka / Nevena no. 2
Danilo Savić acted as Young Jovan
Jelena Velkovski acted as Sister-in-Law of Biliana
Mladen Vuković acted as Stojan
Djordje Zivadinović Grgur acted as Young Stojan
Leontina Bainović acted as Young Nevena
Carloto Cotta acted as Boris / Nevena no. 3
Sofija Jeremić acted as Biliana’s Mother
Alice Englert acted as Biliana / Nevena no. 4
Anastasija Karanovich acted as Young Biliana
Daniel Kovacević acted as Biliana’s Father
Félix Maritaud acted as Jovan
Nikola Marković acted as Groom’s Father
Veselina Mihajlović acted as a midwife
Verica Nedeska acted as Groom’s Mother
Miloš Pantić as Dusan
Irena Ristić acted as Elica
Kamka Toćinovski acted as Joana
Artan Sadiku acted as Stamena’s Husband
Predrag Vasić acted as Groom
Teodor Vinćić acted as Vladimir
Jasmina Avramović acted as Mother
Arta Dobroshi acted as Stamena
Branislav Cubrilo acted as Boris’ Father
Viktorija Jakovljević acted as Little Girl
Plot
During the 19th century Macedonia, the “Wolf-Eateress” Maria or the witch with the horrible burned appearance – entered the house of the newborn baby. The baby’s terrified mother said that if Maria spared the life of the baby, she will hand her over the moment that the girl turns 16. Maria agreed, but robbed the baby of her voice just before she left. The mother veiled Nevena, the baby, inside a cave, and then raised her there without any knowledge of what is all about the outside world.
During the 16th birthday of Nevena, Maria arrived in the shape an eagle; and the mother hunts the bird secretly where Maria killed her and takes the form. She told Nevena to go after her. Outside that cave, Maria killed the donkey, scratched Nevena’s chest and spitted the donkey’s blood over her before burning the wound with fire; it transforms Nevena to a witch, providing her with retractable black talons over her palm and fingers. Maria then pulled the mother’s guts of Nevena from the hole inside her chest and cause her to restart her previous, burned shaped.
Nevena is not understanding about what’s happening, believed that the witch is her mother. Maria killed shepherd who took the liking to Nevena, warned her that humans can hurt her, and tried to teach her in catching and killing fish and rabbits, whose blood witches consumed for power. But then, Nevena would just play with the living creatures, and Maria, mocks and disgusted her for her enjoyment. Angered, Nevena tosses the stone over Maria, who abandoned her to just fend for herself. Then Nevena followed her in a while until she saw Maria killed and assume the shape of the wolf, putting the entrails into the cavity over her chest, before finally gone in the forest.
Writer’s Opinion
The normal movie goers may hate this lack of dialogue, slow pace, subtitles movie and the movie did not tell the style of plot. The fans of the cinematic art may love this for the same causes. It will not be a surprise if this will have a remake in an English version as its plot is scary and unique.
The director here is obviously inspired from the folk horror element and witch movies as well. You will get impressed by the movie’s unusual storyline since the woman attempted to fit in, to be a normal person although she’s a witch that has abnormal abilities. The movie cast is scenery spooky and excellent. Rapace leads the band and everybody is up to a task. The movie is in Serbian, plus their subtitles are at times not grammatically appropriate.