Dragica, Danica, Duška / or / when Zora, the goddess of Dawn, opens the gates of Heaven

movie

Directed by Iva Radivojević

This film subverts the introductory formula of the fairy tale, immediately blurring its temporality. The narration in Macedonian, superimposed on images shot in 8mm colour showing female faces, multiple landscapes, daily activities, and intimate moments, echoes the words of Ahmad Almallah, Norman Manea, and Gertrude Stein. Punctuated by short, evocative pieces of music, this film artfully revisits recurring topics in the filmmaker's work, such as memory, belonging, exile, and family. Nurtured by the mythology of Zora, the Slavic goddess of dawn, and inspired by the filmmaker's grandmothers, whose names make up its title, this short film pays tribute to women warriors throughout history.