God Exists, Her Name is Petrunija, the latest feature by Teona Strugar-Mitevska, was picked to vie in the official competition of one of the world’s leading film festivals, Berlinale 2019.

This is Macedonia’s first participation in the official selection at one of the three biggest festivals in the world, Cannes, Berlin or Venice after more than twenty years. Waiting to enter the big gates, after the success of the Before the Rain is finally over.

“Let us wish more such victories of the Macedonian culture and cinema in the future and to get continuity and recognition, to raise the bar, to establish the right criteria and values and to go forward,” said Gorjan Tozija, director of the Macedonian Film Agency.

Labina Mitevska presented the storyline of God Exists, Her Name is Petrunija.

“The film takes place in Stip, a small town in Macedonia, where every January the high priest throws a cross into the local waters, while hundreds of men charge for it. Happiness and prosperity are guaranteed to the one who finds it first. Petrunija unexpectedly jumps into the water and catches the cross. Her competitors are furious – how does a woman dare to take part in their ritual? Commotion follows, but Petrunia insists that she is the winner and refuses to return the cross,” Mitevska said.

She said the film, still in an unfinished form, was screened at the comission in Berlin on December 3.

“On December 11 we got an official invitation from Berlin. The letter from the festival director Dieter Kosslick read “What a wonderful movie, the whole commission was visibly impressed with your work. Please accept my congratulations. Please accept my invitation to participate in the festival with your fantastic cast and crew. I would be very happy to wait for you on the red carpet with your fantastic film,” Mitevska said.