Since his stunning debut, Before the Rain, Milcho Manchevski has rejected linear narrative. He tells his stories in episodes—a technique he uses again in Willow. Three interconnected tales unfold in North Macedonia: the first set in a kind of magical medieval world, the other two in the present day. All three center on women desperate to become mothers. They feel their lives are incomplete without children, and despite every attempt, motherhood eludes them. Willing to make extreme choices to conceive, each woman takes a different path.
The woman in the past seeks help from an elderly witch—a decision she will come to regret. The curse she unleashes sets off a chain of tragedy. The two contemporary women are sisters, and they choose different routes. The younger one pursues assisted reproduction. Her twin pregnancy brings unexpected news: prenatal testing reveals that one twin will be severely ill. The older sister adopts a quiet, unflappable boy who appears to have autistic traits. Faced with the possibility of motherhood under difficult circumstances, the two sisters respond in starkly different ways. The more fragile of the two makes a choice that brings deep suffering to herself and the man she loves. The other sister chooses to embrace her role as mother with love—and discovers, not without struggle, that love returns to her in equal measure.
Original title: Willow (Vrba)
Production countries: Belgium / Hungary / Republic of Macedonia
Year: 2019
Duration: 101 minutes
Genre: Drama
Director: Milcho Manchevski
Principal cast: Sara Klimoska, Natalija Teodosieva, Kamka Tocinovski