WOLVES' NIGHT (Волчја ноќ)
Movie from: 1955
Duration: 83 minutes
Director: France Shtiglic
Screenplay: Slavko Janevski
Leading Roles: Trajko Chorevski, Ilija Dzuvalekovski, Dragomir Felba, Dragi Krstevski – Amfi, Saveta Malinska, Petre Prlichko
Content: A night in the mountains in that parts of Macedonia which is under Bulgarian occupation. Another offensive aimed at
rendering partisan action impossible. The partisans face a possible attack. The company leaves the region leaving a group of a dozen to cover
their withdrawal. The group led by Bozhin, has the task of holding its position for some three hours and then re-joining the company at
rendezvous known only to their leader. The partisans have only a couple of bullets each and the enemy is close at hand. Bozhin goes to on
reconnaissance. Time passes and he doesn't return. The partisans don't know whether to stay put or to go. A Bulgarian reconnaissance unit
runs into them and in the brief combat the old man Paun is killed. Now it becomes impossible to remain in this position and the partisan
group sets out in search of their company. Bozhin, who has been captured by the Bulgarians, manages to escape but in the spot where he had
left his companions, he finds only the old man's body. The nightmare begins with the group wandering through a bitter night in which the snow,
the wind the Bulgarian pursuit are of equal danger to both their lives and the spiritual integrity of the group of partisans. It ends with
the deaths of Blagoja and Stane, the hanging of Vela, one of the partisans and of a peasant woman who has given her shelter in the village by
the Bulgarian troops. The latter is Bozhine. Marko, the sole survivor of the group, wanders across the mountain pursued by a pack of wolves.
He is saved by his companions from the company. Bozhin is then depicted caring his son in his arms. It is day once more and the company is
asleep. Only Bozhin and Marko are awake, attempting to solve the dilemmas left in the wake of the previous night.
Resume: Hardly two years had passed since the preview of "Frosina" when shooting of the second film, "The Wolves' Night", began
this time it was directed by France Shtiglic, while the screenplay was written by Slavko Janevski. The film was meant to consolidate the hopes
and ambitious plans that "Vardar Film" production cherished after the success of "Frosina". It kept the theme that most of the films made in
the post-war period dealt with: Life during the Revolution. It is a painful inquiry into the moral clash of the partisan heroes: weakness,
suspicion and tendency to stand against strength, and self-confidence. The story shows the hard lot of a partisan squad left in the front
position of the fight in order to protect the rest of the detachment withdrawing. They soon lose their squad leader, who is arrested by some
Bulgarian soldiers while reconnoitering the enemy positions. The remaining soldiers of the squad are now exposed to a number of temptations,
the most severe being those of a personal nature. Two battles are raging: one against the enemy, the other in the sols of the people. Old Paun
dies in the ditch, while Marko, Blagoja, Vela and Stane decide to withdraw towards the detachment. Stane loses his life, Blagoja deserts, while
Marko and Vela hide in the village in the house Bozhin's wife. Vela and Bozhin's wife are soon caught and murdered and Marko and Bozhin are the
only ones left.
The acting was highly realistic, performed by a group of experienced actors: Petre Prlichko as old Paun, Ilija Dzuvalekovski as Bozhin, Traiko
Chorevski as Stane, Dragi Krstevski as Blagoja and Dragomir Felba as Marko. Saveta Malinska made the only debut as Vela. From the very
beginning the filmmakers are occupied with the artistic value of the frame acquiring high visual impressions. The same tendency is noticeable
in the artistic design of "The Wolves' night" that was achieved by the two superb cameramen Ljube Petkovski and Branko Mihajlovski. Vanja
Bjenjash carried out the film cutting and there he achieved brilliant effects.
The art director Dime Shumka who possessed extraordinarily pure and economical expression also achieved brilliant effects in scenography. The
music was composed by Trajko Prokopiev. It successfully combines with the story and psychological action, bringing them closer to the audience.
Thus "The Wolves' Night" remains a remarkable realization with high visual standards, ideological and aesthetic values.
Awards:
1955 FYFF, Pula, Silver Arena for the film
1955 FYFF, Pula, Golden Arena for screenplay / Slavko Janevski
Sources: Macedonian Cinema Information Center and Cinemateque of Macedonia.
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