CHILDREN OF THE SUN

A tale of family and loyalty, love and loss, betrayal and redemption. As the Mob destroys the life of a big family and leaves them on the brink of survival, a powerful, yet secret love, burns between Marko (a gangster) and Angela – two high school sweethearts. Good fortune smiles on the family (a bohemian collective of lovable eccentrics) as they find a long-lost treasure, but Angela betrays them in the name of love by stealing it in order to save Marko’s life from the Mob. In the end, everyone reaps what they sow, and their love ends inauspiciously.

In 2014 the film “Children of the sun” world premier was held in London.

In 2014 the film was represented in official competition in Raindance Film Festival.

October 24, 2010 (Toronto) The Macedonian Film Festival (“MFF”)

Best Feature Film: CHILDREN OF THE SUN, directed by Antonio Mitrikeski, a tale of family and loyalty, love and loss.

А tale of family and loyalty, love and loss.

“A touching story of family and social relations, permeated with love, hopelessness, but also with a belief in miracles, set in contemporary Macedonia”.

The production value and the technical characteristics of the film are at a very high level, the photography is really good, the music is exquisite and the set on the lake is excellent. All actors are assertive and, in principle, flawless. Vlado, Meto and Emir can always build a role out of nothing and function in the same manner here. The younger actors, Kire and Ivana, got a difficult task since their characters are uncompleted sketches and they were supposed to be the ones that carry the emotional weight of the film. They managed this challenge well, even more experienced actors would have had difficulties pulling this out.

MAJA BOGOJEVIC

“Children of the Sun” on festival “Raindance” in London

Antonio Mitrikeski film is included in the main program of great British independent festival and will fight for the price of “Best film of the festival”

“Raindance” during his 22 years of existence turned into a real brand as one of the biggest and most important festival of independent film, a kind of counterpart to the US “Sundance”, with whom he works closely. But what is interesting when it comes to this festival is that it is not only important for Europe as “Sundance” for America, but festivals “Raindance” is held in ten cities of the two continents, such as: Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, Berlin, Brussels, Paris and Budapest. A goal of the festival, which “Variety” said that should not be missed is the nurturing, support and promotion of independent film and new and alternative filmmakers.

Therefore, as there is in the Sundance Institute in London also there is “Raindance center” where young filmmakers can attend “one of the most inventive film schools in the world” and to gain the certificate, tools and skills to begin their film career. Festival “Raindance” is known for having introduced the famous British Independent Film Awards, and last year created the first Web Fest. Of course, “Raindance” is a true place of young filmmakers, but also a place where premiers had many cult films and authors. Thus, this festival were awarded: Ben Wheatley, known for movies “Field in England” and “List of killing”, then Takashi Shimizu with “Hate” and Paolo Sorrentino with “Great beauty”. But the “Raindance” also had premieres: “What happened to Gilbert Grejp?” “Memento,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Old Boy”, “The Blair Witch Project”, “Exposure to Love” and many others.

“Children of the Sun” managed to enter the festival, which is always looking for something different, on the interesting way, making a connection between art and one simple, even commercial approach. Yet this love story, focusing on a Macedonian family that lives on the edge of existence, despite the apparent attempt to communicate with the audience, wearing a distinctively artistic approach in terms of creating the atmosphere in terms of monitoring the dreams of the main protagonists. Mitrikeski said that it is a family through which he wants to make some sort of diagnosis of the society, cross-section of all their sufferings, delusions, ordeals …

“I try to comprehend the mentality of the Macedonian people, and not run away from the truth,” said the director, adding that through the one urban story he is trying to reach the truth and inner turmoil of his characters. All this, together with excellent photography of Jaroslav Shoda and installation of Andrija Zafranovic along with wonderful music by Vlatko Stefanovski and of course several great roles that carry the film, but also the low budget of the project, has provided his entrance on this year special festival. Festival, which last year had over 15,000 visitors and over 100,000 online followers, whose patrons are such names as: Terry Gilliam Mike Figgis, Ken Loach, Alan Parker, Jeremy Irons, Faye Dunaway and others.

Sunchica Unevska

“Children of the Sun” – a visual expression of the human (in) excellence

Sufficient is a solar beam to blind you for a moment to let you turn inward and they recalled the sublime beauty of the world…

“Children of the Sun” is the latest Macedonian film directed by Antonio Mitrikeski that through the story of one big family caught in the grips with the local mafia and the strong love between the main protagonists, Mark and Angela raises the question of the eternal dialectic structure poles ethical categories , good and bad, love and loss, betrayal and redemption.

This seemingly simple story told in a quite avant-garde way with incredible dynamism leads the viewer on a journey 93 min. after which standard questions no longer have a standard answer, which opens the prospect of breaching stereotyped patterns of civilization placement.

Immediacy as a key element of cinematic expression of authentic Eastern European film aesthetics ripples through all levels of the film, ranging from acting to excellent Vlado Jovanovski, Biljana Taneski, Meto Jovanovski, Milica Stoyanova, the actors of the younger generation Ivana Pavlakovic, Kamka Tocinovski through music of genius Vlatko Stefanovski until costumes, stage design solutions that encircle unique impression.

The strongest part of the film art, and it is the visual communication in “Children of the Sun” is brought to perfection primarily due to the extraordinary poetry of the staff and the impressive art composition of scenes which causes high aesthetic experience in the viewer.

Pure aesthetic expression which is typical for films Mitriceski, predominantly present in his latest film “Children of the Sun”, the director gives the possibility of having many layered and intensive communication with the viewer, as Mitrikeski great use in this movie.

Humor as director and dramatic intervention in the moments when the story experiencing the strongest emotional charge in January vivisecira reality through an optimistic and bright prism that has a strong charismatic effect on the recipient. Comic expression of human imperfection causes empathy that encourages the viewer to think about the different essence.

It is extremely positive film, which sets the drama, not address the problem, and opens the options, possible solutions and beer the best.

Hence the basic philosophical thought that runs through the film, that we are all children of the sun, undoubtedly reaches the audience. This film spread optimism, hope, teaches how to overcome tragedies, how to reach out to themselves, to others.

“Children of the Sun” does not deny the human tragedy, on the contrary, shows us, puts us in front of eyes, he cuts through, and transform us is in a different form, which loses its tragedy, but raises human choice. The choice to choose love against death, kindness against hatred, hope versus despair.

Marija Maneva,  UGD,Macedonia