BEFORE THE RAIN (1994)

REPEATING PATTERNS: CYCLES IN BEFORE THE RAIN

One of the most important things to know about Milcho Manchevski’s Before the Rain (1994) is that it begins at the end. By this, I don’t mean the opening scene spoils the ending. The film is broken into three separate segments and only when you have witnessed the movie in its entirety can you appreciate the non-linear structure.

The first installation ‘Words’ depicts the state of Macedonia following the warfare with Albania. The environment is evidently still very hostile and the citizens are dealing with the repercussions of the conflict. When Zamira (Labina Mitevska) a young runaway finds a place to hide in a monastery, her protector Kiril (Gregoire Colin) finds himself up against a violent mob. Before this occurs, Father Marko (Josif Josigfovski) tells Kiril that ‘time never dies’ and ‘the circle is not round’. These cryptic comments preface the entire structure of the movie. They allude to the recurring violence that the film presents. In the grand scheme of things, time and place mean nothing. There will always be violence and death happening. There is no specific pattern to it but rather it can happen in any place at any time.

The middle section ‘Faces’ follows Anne (Katrin Cartlidge), a picture editor at a successful London magazine. She is shown flicking nonchalantly through the scenes of violence and blooshed from the opening extract. In this portion of the film, Manchevski shatters the Western notion that it is only uncultured people who kill frivolously. When Anne initially looks at the images of brutal murder, they seem so far away from her own life. This illusion is shattered when an argument in a restaurant leads to an intense conclusion. No matter where the stories are situated, the devastating effect of violence is inevitable.

In ‘Pictures’, Aleksander (Rade Serbedzija) has returned to his homeland after spending two decades in Western civilization. Upon arrival, he realizes that the country is not as he remembered it. The influence of warfare is now inescapable with gunmen patrolling the streets. By this final section, the structure and outcome is routine. The viewer learns to anticipate the eventual violence in a way that the characters seemingly cannot or do not. Interestingly however, the director does not allow this understanding to remain for long. When the film returns to its starting point, there have been noticeable changes to the events. This begs to question, will the outcome change as well? As the film does not reveal this, the audience is left to decide for themselves.

Another interesting cycle within the movie is the representation of innocence. In the London section, Anne passes by a small Church wherein a choir of children is singing. The Religious imagery coupled with the age of the singers emphasizes the virtuousness of the characters. This is contrasted with the two middle segments in which the children are depicted experimenting with weaponry in their leisure. The reaction of the men in the monastery suggests that the children playing with bullets is just a normal experience. They are almost indifferent towards this occurrence. This implies that the oncoming generation will also experience the bloodshed presented in the movie. The nature of this violence is relentless and unstoppable.

By creating his own unique structure, Manchevski illustrates his point more clearly.  The non-linear narrative demonstrates the spontaneity of such devastating encounters with death. Even though you know that it’s coming, what happens still leaves you disorientated and surprised. It makes the viewer feel as though they are part of the narrative as they experience the shock and emotional devastation at the same time as the characters in a similarly bewildering fashion.

Although the film may initially appear confusing, those who stick with the inventive storytelling are rewarded. Manchevski has created an intelligent, thought-provoking tale through an unusual narrative. Despite this being his first feature film, he has been prevalent in the industry for decades prior to this. I believe that the director has enriched his understanding of film through the accumulation of experience. After watching this movie, I can say that the years he spent perfecting his craft did not go to waste.