The Happiest Man In The World / Najsreќniot čovek na svetot
North Macedonia, Belgium, Slovenia, Denmark, Croatia, BiH 2022
Directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska, drama, 85 min, eng subtitles, 16+
Written by Teona Strugar Mitevska, Elma Tataragić
With Jelena Kordić Kuret, Adnan Omerovic, Labina Mitevska, Ana Kostovska, Ksenija Marinković, Izudin Bajrović
Asja, a 40-year-old single woman, lives in Sarajevo. In order to meet new people, she ends up spending her Saturday in a speed dating event at an 80’s style hotel, a witness of ex-Yugoslav architectural concrete modernism. She’s matched with Zoran, a 43-year-old banker. However, Zoran is not looking for love but forgiveness...
After the LUX prize-winning God Exists, Her Name Is Petrunya (2019) that has scooped over 30 awards around the globe, Macedonian director Teona Strugar Mitevska returns with a movie taking place in the “injured city of Sarajevo”. According to the director, the film is a story about precariousness of life, the chance encounters bringing together the aggressor and the victim, reviving the painful past; a story of impossible connections, of love and absurdity. This thought-provoking touching film boasts extraordinary performances by Jelena Kordić Kuret and Adnad Omerović in leading roles, as well as Ksenija Marinković and the director’s sister Labina Mitevska.
Awards:
Venice FF 2022 (Orizzonti Competition)
Toronto FF 2022 (Contemporary World Cinema)