Croatia Sends Period Drama to Oscar Race

Hana Jusic has selected her period drama 'God Will Not Help' as the Croatian representative for the best international feature film category at the Academy Awards. The movie is set in rural Croatia in 1910 and follows a Chilean widow who enters a small, patriarchal community of sheep herders. Jusic characterizes the work as a mix of gothic drama and genre horror, marking a shift in her directing approach.

The story focuses on Teresa, a figure portrayed by Chilean filmmaker Manuela Martelli. Teresa claims to be the widow of a local man who left for the New World years before. She forms an alliance with Milena, another outsider played by Ana Marija Veselcic. The arrival of these women upends the traditional views held by the village men, creating friction within the isolated society.

Jusic stated that the idea began after she saw Martelli in a short film and wanted to work with her. The director pointed out a historical link between the two countries, noting that many Croats emigrated to Chile in the early 1900s. She built the narrative around the concept of a woman returning from the New World to the Old, a notion that would have seemed impossible to people in 1910.

A key plot device is the language gap. Teresa does not speak Croatian, and the villagers do not speak Spanish. The characters create a unique method of communication using emotions, signs, and biblical symbols. This shared religious reference point allows them to bridge the linguistic divide in a community where Catholicism is widespread.

The film addresses modern social dynamics through a historical lens. Jusic observed that Croatia is currently facing its first major wave of immigration, with workers arriving from the Philippines and Nepal. This new demographic shift has triggered reactions among a population that has historically been the emigrants. The director incorporated this contemporary anxiety about the unknown into the script, focusing on the position of women in a rigid society.

The narrative also plays with the trope of the witch. In the religious setting, women who break social norms are often accused of witchery. Teresa eventually recognizes this dynamic and begins to taunt the community on purpose. This marked the first time Jusic aimed to write a script with thriller and mystery elements, maintaining a sense of suspense throughout the film.

Gothic literature, including 'Wuthering Heights' and the legend of the Bronte sisters, influenced the visual style. The title comes from a short story collection by Croatian poet Marko Pogacar. Jusic secured the rights to use it, finding the name provocative and aligned with the script's theme. During a screening in Zagreb, passersby frequently crossed out the title on a poster in a main square to change it to 'God Will Help.' This reaction matched the director's intent to challenge the return of traditional values in the country.