Page 7 - Pauza Magazine

arts & cultural experiences

The Third Half

By Hana Truscott, MAK 16

The 85 Academy Awards ceremony (The Oscars) The film features a unique cast. Macedonian model
th
is nearly upon us, with Seth MacFarlane (creator (and new face of Victoria’s Secret) Katarina Iva-
of Family Guy) set to host the event next Sunday, novska makes her film debut in the main role of
February 24 with a special tribute to the 50 anni- Rebecca, a well-to-do Jewish woman residing in
th
th
versary of the James Bond film series (enter theme Macedonia who escapes the terrible fate of her
music). The official Mace- people by eloping with a
donian entry for this year’s football player and living in
Academy Awards is a very PAUZA’S NOMINEES the team’s locker room un-
special film. And while it did FOR MACEDONIAN der the stadium. The actor
not make it into the top five who plays Rebecca’s father
nominees, it did make it into MUST-SEE FILMS: is Croatian-American actor
my top picks for must-see Don Rafael, who you may
Macedonian movies (not to 1. The Third Half (2012) – recognize from one of his

mention more than a few of Трето Полувреме many roles in major Holly-
your fellow PCVs made it wood films including Harry
into the film). 2. Before the Rain (1994) – Potter and the Deathly Hal-

Football (not of the Ameri- Пред Дождот lows, Eyes Wide Shut, and
more recently, In the Land
can sort) is the main star of of Blood and Honey. A Ger-
this newest film from Mace- 3. Macedonian Bloody man actor by the name of
donia’s award-winning di- Wedding (1900) – Richard Sammel, known
rector Darko Mitrevski. The for his role in Roberto Beg-
Third Half (2012) is based Македонска Крвава Свадба nini’s Life is Beautiful plays
on a true story about FC Spitz, the Jewish-German
(Football Club) Macedonia and its German-Jewish coach that revives FC Macedonia. German-Nazi
coach who led the team towards a trying victory in commander Garvanoff is played by Emil Ruben,
the Nazi football league during the turbulent time a Macedonian actor of Jewish origin. Last, but not
of World War II. It’s a story in which football brings least, in the final scene of the film you can catch a
lovers together across ethnic and religious lines, glimpse of your fellow PCVs smiling back at you –
unites Macedonians against tensions of a new Nazi MAK 14s, 15s and 16s.
regime, and becomes more than just a game – it’s a
battlefield between good and evil. We are the American family in the photo that main
character Rebecca holds up while paying respects
The film premiered in Macedonia in late 2012 with a to her deceased family members at the newly
red carpet event during the International Film Fes- opened Holocaust Museum in Skopje. Rebecca has
tival in Bitola, followed by a premiere in Sko- returned to Macedonia nearly 70 years after surviv-
pje. It has been circulating the local movie ing the holocaust, and that picture of us PCVs as her
theater circuit, so if you get a chance American family and living descendants is symbolic
go and see it. It’s filmed at sites in of the incredible perseverance of life in the face of
both America and Macedonia, thus devastating loss. The behind the scenes section of
language switches from English to the movie’s website (www.thethirdhalf-movie.com)
Macedonian. It’s good practice for features poignant interviews with the last living play-
your language skills and a history er of FC Macedonia, as well as with Neta Koen, the
lesson while you’re at it. woman whose life story inspired this film.

Fall 2012 – 7
Winter 2013 – 7