In mid-November, shooting wrapped on Mother, the seventh feature film by Brussels-based, Macedonian filmmaker Teona Strugar Mitevska, with Swedish actress Noomi Rapace playing the mythical figure of Mother Teresa. Teona Strugar Mitevska got noticed on the international scene with her second feature, I Am From Titov Veles [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Teona Strugar Mitevska
scheda film], presented at the Berlinale and which then screened at more than 80 festivals. In 2019, she received the LUX Prize for God Exists, Her Name Is Petrunya [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Labina Mitevska
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scheda film]. Her latest fiction film, The Happiest Man in the World [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Teona Strugar Mitevska
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Fascinated for several years with the complex figure of Mother Teresa, who like her was born in Skopje in North Macedonia (then still the Ottoman Empire), she has chosen to focus on a brief period of her life, a few weeks after the end of World War II, before the nun founded her own congregation, the Missionaries of Charity. The film begins in Calcutta, in 1948. Time is of the essence, Mother Teresa must prepare the convent for her imminent departure and designate her successor. She chose the only possible candidate for her: Sister Agnieszka. But very soon, Agnieszka admits she must refuse this offer because she is pregnant from a brief love affair. Agnieszka wants an abortion and in her mind, only Mother Teresa can help. Torn between her beliefs and her compassion, will Mother Teresa be able to carry this heavy secret?

To play Teresa, the filmmaker has chosen Noomi Rapace, discovered by the general public for her turn as Lisbeth Salander in the Millenium [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Niels Arden Oplev
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intervista: Valdimar Jóhannsson
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The film is being produced by Sébastien Delloye for Entre Chien et Loup (Belgium), who recently produced the Portuguese film Alma Viva [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Cristèle Alves Meira
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intervista: Delphine Lehericey
scheda film] by Belgian-Swiss filmmaker Delphine Lehericey, and which has been following Teona Strugar Mitevska since I Am From Titov Veles. The film is being co-produced in North Macedonia by Sisters and Brother Mitevski, which as its name indicates, brings together the siblings, therefore Teona, as well as Vuk Mitevski and Labina Mitevska, which just received the International Co-Production Eurimages Prize. Mother is also co-produced in Sweden by Rainy Days, in Denmark by Frau Film, and in India by Raging Film. International sales are handled by Kinology and distribution in the Benelux by September Film.