Treto poluvreme

In Macedonia, during World War II, a football team hires a German coach to improve its results. But the war will son caught up with the team, as the German-allied Bulgarian army invades the country. Sasko Kocev stars as Kosta, a handsome if a somewhat rakish footballer. Kosta pursues the beautiful Rebecca (Katarina Ivanovska), the daughter of Don Raphael (veteran actor Rade Serbezidja), a wealthy Jewish businessman. Richard Sammer is Spitz, the German trainer, who is persecuted by the authorities after they find he is a Jew (this is based on a real character, though many details were changed). The movie also covers a lot of political issues, like the Bulgarian-Macedonian rivalry, which I can't comment on deeply since it is a territory I'm quite unfamiliar with. This political aspect can be quite crude. For instance, all the Bulgarian characters look bad here, starting with the nasty General Gorvanov (a great performance of Emil Ruben). Overall, this is an entertaining film. Note: the former Yugoslavia seems to have cornered the market on period football films: some years ago, there was a fine Serbian film called Bog Te Video, about the Yugoslavian team that played in the 1930's World Cup.

The movie was inspired by the true story of a football team with the backdrop of second world war. It is all about the football revolution in a small country in the south-eastern Europe. The movie kinda reminds me 'Montevideo' which is also tells about the country's dream to participate in the first edition of the football world cup. More or less both the stories sets in the same era with a decade or two difference.

The opening was very similar to 'Madrasapattinam' where a woman in her 70s wants to go back to her native place in Europe. So she leave the States with her granddaughter and soon after arrived there she begins to re-encounters her flashbacks. She was the daughter of a wealthy man in the town who fall in love with a football player which is against her fathers will. But in the other side, inexperience football team is yet to register their first victory. So they hire a German coach to make the best club in the country. The team begins to show some positive sign but yet to face another difficulty when the country is occupied by the Nazi Germans. With all these troubles the team must rise from the ground.

No offence but frankly to say I never heard Macedonia before. From this beautiful movie I came to know it and hope same that it would reach every corners of the world. When it come to the movie, it tells the tale from certain aspect especially from that old woman and what she witnessed. There's other cruel side too where Hitler's Administration kills many Jews which is not in the movie. The filmmakers avoided the cruelty portions of the story and portrayed only from young love and the team's perspective. Still there are couple killing scenes and a half nude in it.

The end speech was very good. When I thought the end was very usual, the powerful lines spoken by the lead female made movie further stronger to end. Yeah that one was indeed very good and it explains the meaning of title very well.

8/10

No matter of the review that i'll write for all the viewers of the movie i think that if you are not Macedonian you won't get the point of this movie.The movie have strong behind and a message full of anger and revenge of what they where doing to Macedonia in the past.By revenge i mean that the director want the viewers to see how humiliating was the past for our people and how they apart our land and whit those a lot of families where separated,a lot of love stories where broken,a lot of dreams where gone.That's why i think this movie is something that describe us like a nation a history of people that survived this and now are only memories left for tell. About the actors i think that Sasko did well his role,but Karerina was week in some parts,i guess that's because this was her first movie.The songs in the movie are also very touchable part, and i think that there is no Macedonian who watched the movie and not get thrill all over her/his body.I recommend the movie for all, for me was great.

p.s Sorry if i have some grammar mistakes.

The Actors Performance of the leading actors are one of the weakest links in the film. Ivanovska has serious problems in portraying the higher class role that she is assign to here. Kocev sounds more gentlemen-like than her. Ivanovska appearance is attractive but her acting skill are quite low making the love story not to be so good. Kocev compared to Ivanovska looks like a much better actor but he is not great also. However the rest of the cast is much better than the leading couple. Serbedzija is great also the couch Sammel other actors with memorable performance are Apostolski (the club president) and the Bulgarian officer.

The Storyline Is well written does a good job of incorporating many different and parallel story lines and has multiple levels. Give a nice impressions of the "spirit of the time". It is also interesting that all characters speak their native language instead of some artificial "common language" aka English what gives more realism to the film.

The Camera and Photography are good the camera functions very well in dynamic and static mode give nice aspect of the dynamic football game and more static narrative. The photography is bright and positive dispute the sometimes dark narrative. You can fell the warmth of the land and southern summer sun.

The Music and the Sound Are maybe weakest links of film along with the acting of Ivanovska. The music consist of traditional song singed by the protagonists the rest of the music is standard issue Hollywood music clips. The sound is also a bite problematic some of the comments by the football players are hard to hear due to the high background noise.

The Director did a well job in organized this a bite complicated film and hard to tell story. Although he lack sometimes the creativity and goes into well known clichés.

This movie is one of the best outstanding Macedonian movies ever made in the history of Macedonian cinematography.

The Third Half is filled with lots of painful truths assembled in a beautiful love story continued with soccer events that wake up the spirit inside you. It's amazing that this movie so easily creates the cheering effect and you are cheering all the way.

While watching the movie i smiled so good, I was laughing out loud at certain extremely funny moments and then I cried. After crying I laughed again, I laughed so sweet I loved the taste of those tears. In the end I cried smiling. This movie creates such strong emotional waves that you are not able to resist the urge to go along with them.

We were organized to watch the movie in the USA embassy and I would like to thank all the guys who made this happen.

Amazing work of art! Watch it and you will absolutely love it!