Dust (2001)
Milčo Mančevski establishes new guidelines for independent movie makers, successfully balancing between Hollywood commercial and the independent art film. Only few compromises and hybrids like this have proven worth filming (and watching) and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.
First of all, there was the careful choice of names - Luke and Elijah (biblical names) opposed to the prostitute Lilith (female demon). No wonder that Lilith was in so many ways connected with water and finally she drowned. Than, there's Neda (from an old Macedonian poem "Serdarot" by Grigor Prličev, awarded first prize at Athens). Then, a thing which impressed me was the short appearance of certain characters like Sigmund Freud, Pablo Picasso and Josip Broz Tito. Mančevski has used his old "trick" from his first film "Before the Rain" - non-linear time, but while in "Before the rain" the explanation was "The circle is not round, time never dies" in "Dust" it is "The centuries do not follow up each other but coexist like parallel universes".
Repentance was an important motif in the movie, especially the repentance of Luke and Edge.
Certain scenes have moved me, the scene in the hospital when Angela dies and the nurse is asking Edge what is he to her... The scene in Macedonia, when the women are laundering the carpets on a rocky waterfall (Mariovo)... And another thing - me as a Macedonian have always been brought up with the notion that our freedom fighters were noble men who were usually victims of blood thirsty Turks, but this movie had an interesting point that they were all butchers and murderers whose only lust is not freedom or fight against oppression but GOLD!
Probably this movie doesn't have the prophetic touch of "Before the rain" clearly displayed in the current political situation in Macedonia, but there's again the scene with Albanian gangs killing innocent Macedonian cattle breeders.
And another thing - both Angela and Luke are mocking the official clerical (church) "authorities", when Angela refuses the confession of the catholic priest on her death bed and when Luke kills the local orthodox priests offering assistance in the negotiations with the Turks (by the way, the priest is a traitor, which questions another illusion of mine and my generation - that the priests and the Church have been very active in protecting the Macedonian villagers from oppression and torment).
I know one thing for sure - that as soon as I am able I will use my proud privilege to be a Macedonian and visit Mariovo, where a part of the movie was made, and especially the bridge where the Turks attempted to pass so many times during the 17-th century and did not succeed.
The tension seems to fade at some points and that's why the rate of "9" form my user's vote, but still, this is an excellent complete product, made with the touch of perfect craftsmanship.
Directed by
Milčo Mančevski
Writing credits
Milčo Mančevski
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Cast (in credits order) |
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Joseph Fiennes |
.... |
Elijah |
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David Wenham |
.... |
Luke |
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Adrian Lester |
.... |
Edge |
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Anne Brochet |
.... |
Lilith |
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Nikolina Kujaca |
.... |
Neda |
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Rosemary Murphy |
.... |
Angela |
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Vlado Jovanovski |
.... |
Teacher |
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Salaetin Bilal |
.... |
The Major |
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Vera Farmiga |
.... |
Amy |
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Matt Ross (I) |
.... |
Stitch |
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Meg Gibson |
.... |
Bone |
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Tamer Ibrahim |
.... |
Kemal |
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Vladimir Jacev |
.... |
Spase |
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Vladimir Gjorgjijoski |
.... |
Enver |
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Zora Georgieva |
.... |
Maslina |
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Jordan Simonov |
.... |
Iorgo |
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Josif Josifovski |
.... |
Priest |
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Joe Mosso |
.... |
Church bell |
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Sandra McClaine |
.... |
Nurse |
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Nick Sandow |
.... |
White trash |
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Bruce MacVittie |
.... |
Paramedic |
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Tom Strauss |
.... |
Catholic Priest |
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Milica Stojanova |
.... |
Dosta |
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Stanko Stoilkov |
.... |
Godfather |
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Petar Mircevski |
.... |
Foreign priest |
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Mladen Krstevski |
.... |
Mirko |
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Stojan Arev |
.... |
Slavejko |
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Pavle Dameski |
.... |
Krste |
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Martin Mircevski |
.... |
Simeon |
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Danilo Mandic |
.... |
Flute boy |
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Krste Jovanovski |
.... |
Mace man |
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Rubens Muratovski |
.... |
Sailor |
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Judith Windsor (II) |
.... |
The Madam |
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Randy Duke |
.... |
Sheriff |
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Afrodita Atanasova |
.... |
Catherine |
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Jon Ivanovski |
.... |
Sigmund Freud |
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Blagoja Micevski |
.... |
Painter |
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Elena Mosevska |
.... |
Sam |
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Jordanka Todorova |
.... |
Judy |
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Boris Corevski |
.... |
Sharpshooter |
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Blagoja Spirkovski-Dzumerko |
.... |
Perus |
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Norman Naudain |
.... |
Doctor |
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Sabedin Selmani |
.... |
Arnaut |
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Sefedin Nuredini |
.... |
Arnaut |
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Fehmi Grubi (II) |
.... |
Arnaut |
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Vebi Kerimi |
.... |
Arnaut |
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Adrian Aziri |
.... |
Arnaut |
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Koljo Cerkezov |
.... |
Arnaut |
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Vladimir Endrovski |
.... |
Andart (as Vladimir Endrovski-Ljac) |
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Vanco Melev |
.... |
Andart |
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Aleksandar Rusjakov |
.... |
Andart |
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Vladimir Gjuzelov |
.... |
Andart |
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Dimitar Nikolov-Taki |
.... |
Andart |
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Branko Beninov |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Riad Tahir |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Vanco Krstevski |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Erduan Maksut |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Atila Klince |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Jean Francois Guissouegou |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Alen Nanov |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Ivan Jercik |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Vasko Milhajlov |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Igor Stojcevski |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Srdjan Milosevic |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Neat Ali |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Dzemail Maksut |
.... |
Komitas |
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Branko Koncaliev |
.... |
Komitas |
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Slave Miceski |
.... |
Komitas |
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Atanas Georgiev (II) |
.... |
Komitas |
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Srebre Gjakovski |
.... |
Shepherd |
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Najdo Todeski |
.... |
Shepherd |
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Petar Dimoski |
.... |
Shepherd |
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Dimitar Vandeski |
.... |
Shepherd |
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Andon Jovanoski |
.... |
Shepherd |
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Trajce Ivanoski |
.... |
Shepherd |
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Kiril Gravcev |
.... |
Shepherd |
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Blagoja Lefteroski |
.... |
Shepherd |
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Igor Dimitrov |
.... |
Shepherd |
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Tinka Risteska |
.... |
Villager |
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Andrijana Boskoska |
.... |
Villager |
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Miliana Dodevska |
.... |
Villager |
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Lidija Ivanovska |
.... |
Villager |
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Kire Georgiev |
.... |
Villager |
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Marjan Cakmakoski |
.... |
Villager |
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Tajce Kalcoski |
.... |
Villager |
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Kristijan Risteski |
.... |
Villager |
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Radica Zdravevska |
.... |
Villager |
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Ratka Radmanovic |
.... |
Brothel |
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Sonja Osavkova |
.... |
Brothel |
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Siuciuan Hsu |
.... |
Brothel |
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Katarina Ilievska |
.... |
Brothel |
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Lidija Lea Stojanovska |
.... |
Brothel |
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Natasa Zlatevska |
.... |
Brothel |
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Irena Trajkova |
.... |
Brothel |
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Angela Visnjevskaja |
.... |
Brothel |
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Cvetanka Velevska |
.... |
Brothel |
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Vanja Dimitrova |
.... |
Brothel |
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Dorian Trajkov |
.... |
Brothel |
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Vladimir Jordanov |
.... |
Brothel |
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Filip Todorov |
.... |
Brothel |
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Milanco Georgiev |
.... |
Photographer at wedding |
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Gjorgji Usta Petrov |
.... |
Priest at wedding |
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Dzemail Demir |
.... |
Native American |
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Ismet Ali |
.... |
Native American |
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Goce Naumov |
.... |
Native American |
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Carlton Jarvis |
.... |
Code Blue Doctor |
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rest of cast listed alphabetically |
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|
Louise Goodall |
.... |
Young Angela |
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Zoran Ljutkov |
.... |
Ottoman soldier |
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Produced By: |
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|
Chris Auty |
.... |
producer |
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Lars Bloch (III) |
.... |
associate producer |
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Steve Clark-Hall |
.... |
supervising line producer |
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Richard Dooley |
.... |
line producer |
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Frank Dragun |
.... |
line producer |
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Vesna Jovanoska |
.... |
producer |
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Domenico Procacci |
.... |
producer |
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Gjorgji Simeonov |
.... |
associate producer |
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Branislav Brana Srdic |
.... |
line producer |
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Kevan Van Thompson |
.... |
coordinating line producer |
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Original Music By: |
| Kiril Dzajkovski |