Before the Rain

This story marks the essence of what's happened in Balkans (former Yugoslavia) in past few years, and especially the circular plot of the movie is very significant. I was really shocked with certain moments of this film!

There's more lines in the plot - the story of native war photographer living in London, who wants to return to homeland - the movie itself starts with some kind of Romeo and Juliet war story - there's also a harsh killing scene in London restaurant, which is made by one of war radicals - very funny shot is that, when the UN inspection car stops at the hill far before the village, and after moment it returns back, while the village is guarded and divided by it's armed citizens - and maybe one missed telephone call could warn Alexander, who just returns to his birth village, and stop it all...

After some moments the lines of this more complex movie cut through and the circle of violence comes to its finale. But we're just on the beginning chronologically, so it seems everything is just starting again...

Beautiful, hard hitting, but still both simple and realistic. One of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. I saw it the first time in 1997 I think and I've seen it at least twenty times so far and it grows bigger every time. I love this movie and can't give any bad comments about it. Some amy say there are some

beautiful scenes here and some ugly scenes there, but I love it just like it is and it's hard to change that.

Firs, the the acting is excellent and the main character Rade Serbedzija does a wonderful work as a cynical, down-to-earth photographer, who knows he can't

escape his destiny and identity, Katrin Cartlidge does an equally impressive job, as well as a lot o the Macedonian bad and good guys of the film.

Secondly, the cinematography wonderfully depicts the harsh Macedonian

landscapes and sceneries, as well as the torn souls of the land. The music has the same impact and feels so natural with the cinematography.

Finally, I could never complaint about the directors excellent work. This was his debut if I'm not wrong and that was very promising, but I suppose this was his "Citizen Kane" and it'll probably be impossible to make anything similar.

One rarely sees anything from Macedonia.But this is not only good for

Macedonian cinema, it should have won the Oscar that year.

This movie is by far, the most touching movie i've ever seen. I think it impressed me just the same as "Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence", though "Before the Rain" is a much more beautiful movie. It's a raw depicture of the Balkans conflict, but also a beautiful one. One with loads of violence but growing from this violence, there's love and compassion.The most touching movie i've ever seen.

I was forced to watch this movie for a college class, and it instantly became one of my favorite movies of all time. The story is exceptional, and the directorial brilliance of its creators brings the tragedy of an entire country to life. It contrasts the folly of war and hatred with beautiful images of the people and places that they destroy.

This movie is absolute perfection. I can't believe it took me 10 years to bump into it by accident. I was surprised to see it was made in 1994 when the entire time I watched it as a reflection rather than prophecy of the civil war that followed.

The fluency of picture, music, and the story is perfect as viewer is taken from dramatic landscapes and slow paced life of orthodox priests to fast paced London streets and offices. Parallel stories in London fasten the pace even more.

The movie shows we are all connected not only in time (past and future) but space (geography) as well. War and suffering in one part of the world affect lives of people in quaint London restaurant. The circle of human tragedy connects almost every character in the movie. But circle is imperfect. If the circle were perfect the tragedy would stop when circle completes. Alas, the tragedy spirals in time and space.

Acting is very real. Time is not wasted overbuilding any character. The way soundtrack blends with the movie is pure art. Thank you for this movie Mr. Manchovski. As powerful as the movie is, it's unfortunate it didn't help prevent the civil war in Macedonia. When hate wins, innocence looses.