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    • New Talents Open Call
      Eastern Neighbours Film Festival (ENFF) began in The Netherlands in 2008 with the idea to offer Dutch and international audiences a unique glimpse into the cinema of their neighbors from Eastern and Southern Europe. This annual event presents the most recent, exciting, and thought‐provoking films, from countries with small, but often powerful film industries, that… Read more: New Talents Open Call
    • ENFF 2023 On Demand!
      Unable To attend the festival in person? No problem! From November 27th to December 3rd, we’re thrilled to bring you a curated selection of this year’s films available for online viewing! Catch our captivating Opening Film Ivan’s Land, or the touching Closing Film Seventh Heaven. Or explore a collection of shorts from the New Talents Competition! Follow along… Read more: ENFF 2023 On Demand!
    • What’s up in Slovak Cinema? A conversation with Monika Lostakova
      We talked with Monika Lošťáková about contemporary Slovak cinema.
    • ENFF and the Eastern European Film Festival Network!
      The Eastern European Film Festival Network brings together five film festivals dedicated to promoting and showcasing Eastern European cinema, alongside one partner organisation.
    • Masterclasses
      Through these masterclasses we approach two memory in film from different angles: memories from a personal or collective recollection through archive material.
    • Work in Progress
      In Work in Progress, emerging filmmakers and artists will present their works in development to the audience and engage in discussions with Dutch experts.
    • Festival Timetable Available!
    • Check out the catalogue for our 2023 edition!
    • Music at ENFF
      Every year, ENFF brings special musical guests who bring beauty to the program and further represent the rich cultures of their countries to a Dutch audience.
    • Film Marathon
      Join us for the Film Marathon, a new concept in which we merge two components, Short Films, Big Stories, and New Talents Competition into a whole-day screening of short films!

ENFF On Tour in Amsterdam: God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya

Saturday 26 October | 19:30 hours | De Balie | Kleine Gartmanplantsoen 10, 1017 RR Amsterdam

ENFF On Tour in De Balie, Amsterdam brings one of the three finalists for the European Parliament’s LUX Film Prize 2019 – God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya by Teona Strugar Mitevska. A thought-provoking satire, awarded at this year’s Berlinale, that questions patriarchy and gender equality in Macedonian society. The screening will be followed by Q&A with our special guest Labina Mitevska, actress and producer, as well as live musical performance by Macedonian-Dutch artist Alexandra Popovska.

Synopsis

Based on true events, the film takes place in Stip, a small town in North Macedonia, where every January a local Orthodox priest throws a wooden cross into the river and hundreds of men dive after it. Good fortune and prosperity are guaranteed to the man who retrieves it. This time, Petrunya dives into the water on a whim and manages to grab the cross before the others. Her competitors are furious – how dare a woman take part in their ritual? As hell breaks loose, Petrunya stands tall, challenging the church, judiciary and media. She won her cross and will not give it up.

Director’s statement

Every 19th of January for the holiday of Epiphany, the throwing of the cross event takes place in almost all the Orthodox world of Eastern Europe, including in North Macedonia. In 2014, a woman caught the cross in the town of Štip, in Eastern part of Macedonia. Her act was deemed as an outrage from the local population as well as the religious authorities. As a matter of fact, women are not allowed to participate in the event. Consequently, they tried to take the cross away from her, but she would not give in. Next day, she gave an interview to the local station encouraging more women to jump for the cross in the future. She was labelled by the population as a “crazy”, “disturbed”, “troubled” young woman… To me and my producer, Labina Mitevska, these reactions exposed a natural reflex of social conformism; they also revealed the misogyny that is supported by the deeply incrusted patriarchal norms within our society. It was frustrating and maddening. The story of Petrunya rose from this frustration, we had to react.

Festivals & Awards (selection)

Berlinale, 2019 – Guild Film Award, Ecumenical Jury Prize | Dortmund Women’s Film Festival 2019 – Best Film | Dea Open Air Film Festival, Tirana 2019 – Best Film, Best Actress | Pula Film Festival, 2019 – Best Director | Eurasia International Film Festival, Kazakhstan – Best Screenplay | European Parliament’s LUX Film Prize 2019 finalist

Original title: Gospod postoi, imeto i’ e Petrunija Country: North Macedonia, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia, France Year: 2018 Length: 100 min Director: Teona Strugar Mitevska Screenplay: Elma Tataragic, Teona Strugar Mitevska Editing: Marie-Helene Dozo Cinematography: Virginie Saint Martin Cast: Zorica Nusheva, Labina Mitevska, Simeon Moni Damevski, Suad Begovski, Stefan Vujisic Production: Labina Mitevska – Sisters and Brother Mitevski; Entre Chien et Loup, Vertigo, Spiritus Movens Production, Deuxième Ligne Films, EZ Films