God Exists, Her Name Is Petrunya – Gospod postoi, imeto i’ e Petrunija (2019)

Directed by: Teona Strugar Mitevska | 100 minutes | drama | Actors: Zorica Nusheva, Labina Mitevska, Stefan Vujisic, Suad Begovski, Simeon Moni Damevski, Violeta Sapkovska, Petar Mircevski, Andrijana Kolevska, Nikola Kumev, Bajrush Mjaku, Xhevdet Jashari, Vladimir Tuliev

The symbolic opening scenes of ‘God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya’ sharply sharpen the senses. In scene number 1, a woman is zoomed in from a great height. She is in a swimming pool. The sparkle of the water makes it unclear whether she is keeping her head above water, but her calm posture betrays it. Bare branches reflect around her. The only movement comes from the fluttering of her coat. She also remains steadfast. Like an unyielding rock that defies the elements unceasingly. In the background, in a surreal contrast to the still image, pounding guitar music plays.

Then, from a distant shadowland, there is silence. On screen, without any fade, the title appears. Immediately afterwards, again with a hard transition, the film switches to scene number 2. Here too, a still scene is shown, this time of a desolate-eyed grassy landscape. A religious company, accompanied by a Gregorian chant, slowly passes in the background. In the foreground, in the opposite direction, a mysterious figure with a cross over the shoulder slides alongside. The wide landscape is interlaced with shots of religious images.

Then, only in scene number 3, ‘God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya’ provides some guidance when the symbolism is exchanged for the gray reality. The viewer becomes acquainted with the namesake of the film. A job-seeking woman, who in 2018 is also looking for some guidance. A woman, a little too fat; virgin, who still lives with her parents in a small village apartment in northern Macedonia. A woman, graduated historian, who has great difficulty looking ahead. Life, true life, beckons in the distant background. The city, equality, away from the ecclesiastical distress.

It is the reality of many. A European contrast, as it were. The captivity between what used to be and what is now. The gap between old and young. The old-fashioned patriarchy versus the emancipating struggle of young women. Sexual tightness versus free morality. Between the Divine and everyday life. Somewhere in the middle of that universal spectrum lies the meaning of existence that Petrunya hopes to find. She decides to take matters into her own hands.

In a haze of great courage, Petrunya enters a traditional religious ceremony normally reserved for men. She commits an even grosser offense when she catches a holy cross. A riot is born. For the majority of the many eyewitnesses she is immediately labeled as a criminal. However, a small minority see her as a modern heroine, whom they can turn to for advice and assistance. When the press also gets on the trail of the new Messiah, things steadily get out of hand.

Petrunya, a prominent priest and a female reporter are locked up with a local conservative police unit. All the contradictions come together even more strongly there. Gradually, however, a kind of understanding emerges between the opposites. At the same time, the idea prevails that this mutual appreciation will never be able to survive outside the walls of the police station. Because no matter how long the characters conclave with each other, Petrunya acknowledges, Macedonia has never really been able to wrestle itself from the Middle Ages.

The symbolism from the opening scenes has thus been negated. If God exists, even in the guise of a woman like Petrunya, he is incapable of bringing about change. The differences between people are too great. And their will to change too small. ‘God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya’ exposes these problems in great detail, but offers minimal solutions. Only in the very last moments does the generous Petrunya give the viewer a small point of light. There is still a long way to go, but will there still be any hope for humanity?