Opening at the moment between life and death, The Great Water is a portrait of an ageing politician’s life as it flashes before his eyes. As he is rushed to hospital, the dying man remembers everything – loneliness, fear and a great friend – all the moments that shaped his life.
Captured as a child after the second world war, our man is sent to an orphanage where ‘friendly political indoctrination’ is in progress. Think Empire of the Sun but based on real events in post-war Macedonia.
Saso Kekenovski’s performance as the silent old man is memorable and powerful, as is that of Maja Stankcovska as his younger self. Both carry the story with subtle, understated performances, the nuances of which, because of the minimal dialogue, are etched on their faces.
Beautifully filmed on some breathtaking locations with many memorable scenes this is a small movie which deserves to make it big. Since Mancevski’s success with Before the Rain there has been a conspicuous silence coming from the Macedonian film industry. Ivo Trajkov has managed single handedly to fill that void with this perfect and truly memorable film. AK
