A QUIET SUMMER (Мирно лето)
Movie from: 1961
Duration: 99 minutes
Director: Dimitrie Osmanli
Screenplay: Frida Filipovic
Leading Roles: Ljupka Arsova Dzundeva, Meri Boshkova, Stojka Cekova, Darko Damevski, Ilija Dzuvalekovski, Ilija Milchin, Slobodan Perovic, Petre Prlichko
Content: A young scholar, Zare Misevski and his wife Mira, a theatrical costume designer, are living in a rented room under
pressure from the disturbances and curiosity of their neighbours. These are the circumstances in which Zare is given the key of the
Ethnographic Museum in Ohrid to put it in order. For the family this means an escape a quiet oasis of peace for the three summer months
which they are to spend in Ohrid. Wishing to share their good fortune with their friends, they, each in their own way, tell them about
their windfall. It is summer. Zare and Mira are in the museum in Ohrid. Zare works on his project and Mira spends her time painting, trying
not to disturb his work. But their problems begin when Dara Lybina, a collegue of Mira's, pays them a visit. She is wretched because her
latest love affair has come to an end. Zare still hasn't calmed down when Nestor Gievski, his ex-professor, comes to spend a couple of days
of his holiday in their temporary home, on his way to Athens. Mira and Zare reconcile themselves to the new circumstances, but not for long.
Mira's brother and some friends of his pay a visit to his sister and brother-in-law. The invasion of the museum continues with Zare's uncle
and aunt and the family Pop-Kochev , who are having problems with the accommodation, who are invited by another uncle, Tale, to come to the
museum. The situation in the household gets out of control. It is solved only when Mira demands peace in a hotel. The guests finally come
to understand that they can't count on the tolerance and long-suffering of their hosts and leave the museum. Mira comes back and all becomes
quiet. Zare can work in peace again, and Mira can paint but not for long. New guests are already on their way.
Resume: The film comedy "Quiet Summer" came out as a result of the film production development, genre expansion and the needs
of the audience. The screenplay was written by Frida Filipovic from Belgrade and it was directed by Dimitar Osmanli, the first Macedonian
director. The film deals with an architect who is asked to organize the museum in Ohrid. His wife is a costume designer and a painter. So,
the two of them leave for Ohrid to spend the summer there. It is something in a way that they are compelled to do. But is also a long-wished
for escape from the town and their cramped, rented flat. They both have a dream of a peaceful life and they hope that it will come true in
Ohrid. The whole concept of "Quiet Summer" was fully realized on the basis of this motive and all the comediographic elements were discovered
and achieved within it. The comedy follows directions typical for the - progressing principle of the comedy. The general feeling in the film
is the one of easiness amusement with a permanent call for laughter, but the laughter is rather controlled and in accordance with different
pitches in the comedy which do not appear that often. The humor is achieved by light irony being spread on an extensive plan of the
comediographic action. The director managed to assemble a remarkably homogeneous team of actors, as signing the leading parts to Slobodan
Perovic and Ljupka Dzundeva. The cast also included Petre Prlichko Ilia Milchin, Dimitar Costarov, Darko Damevski, Ilia Dzuvalekovski, Stoika
Cekova, Anche Prlichkova, Evica Chizmar, Aco Jovano etc. Once again the cameraman Ljube Petkovski confirmed his high standards of creativity,
achieving stylistic black-and-white picture, slightly stylized both in tonality and composition, which is in balance with the general
cinematographic concept of the film. The art direction was assigned to Dime Shumka whose experience as a painter reveals an area for creative
improvement. Praise could also be awarded to the music composed by Dragutin Savin. "Quiet Summer" displays a number of values to be presented
as great achievements of Macedonian cinematography.
Sources: Macedonian Cinema Information Center and Cinemateque of Macedonia.
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