DJ Ahmet evaluation: Macedonian coming-of-age drama charms and delights
Feb 02, 2025 10:08 PM IST
HT at Sundance | Georgi M. Unkovski’s wondrous, music-soaked drama revolves round a 15-year-old boy from a distant Yuruk village who finds solace in music.
In Georgi M. Unkovski’s breezy, confidently realized debut function directorial DJ Ahmet, the coming-of-age drama finds new means of expression and rigour. Premiering at Sundance Movie Pageant, this small however cute drama has all the weather to change into an viewers favorite if it travels far and huge. It tells the story of a teenage boy who connects with music in a means that helps him break free from the drudgeries of his each day lifetime of a shepherd. Unkovski invitations the viewer to remain beside this younger boy’s aspect for some time, in a means that his story issues. (Additionally learn: 2000 Meters to Andriivka evaluation: An unflinching take a look at the brutality of warfare)
The premise
Within the first jiffy of DJ Ahmet, the 15-year-old boy (Arif Jakup) will probably be plucked out of faculty by his father (Aksel Mehmet) as a result of he would fairly are likely to the sheep than take into consideration finding out additional. At dwelling, he cares for his youthful brother Naim (Agush Agushev), who’s but to talk after the dying of their mom. Their father has no time to offer his sons time, or love. The one time Ahmet finds some solace is when he’s listening to music.
Unkovski’s movie begins off with focus and elegance. When Ahmet loses one of many sheep from his herd, he frantically traverses the forest of the distant Yuruk village in North Macedonia all night time. If he doesn’t discover the misplaced one, it will imply his father would make it hell for him. This second of despairturns right into a fortunate encounter with the gorgeous woman Aya (Dora Akan Zlatanova). Her household is forcing her to get married. However she is aware of how she will upset her household. This temporary rendezvous will change each of their lives perpetually.
What works
DJ Ahmet takes time to construct up the tales of those characters, however there is a great lightness in contact that permeates the narrative. Naum Doksevski’s digicam captures the uncompromising fantastic thing about the panorama in direct distinction with the hardships that these characters face. Unkovski is just not concerned about creating sympathy for these individuals. This movie doesn’t draw back from displaying the conflict between the generations that exist in rural Macedonia. But it surely by no means resorts to portray the older technology as caricatures with none hint of redeemable qualities. The younger have desires, however they’re additionally cautious and safe of what they need. Aya’s arc particularly, is handled with intelligence and depth, which by no means bows all the way down to predictable beats.
DJ Ahmet confides within the viewers and trusts them to accompany these younger individuals until the tip. Each Jakup and Zlatanova are great of their elements, and their endearing chemistry lightens up the body. Even with a improbable musical rating by Alen and Nenad Sinkauz, the movie by no means loses sight of its realities. It is a small movie with a giant coronary heart, a movie that lingers on the reminiscence like a vivid dream.
Santanu Das is masking Sundance Movie Pageant 2025 as a part of the accredited press.
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