Honeyland-2019
Director Ljubomir Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska
Starring Hatidže Muratova
Scott’s Review #1,045
Reviewed July 27, 2020
Grade: B+
Honeyland (2019) is a crucial documentary for anyone who cares about the environment, or for those who don’t but should, to experience.
The setting is the rural mountains of Macedonia, an area probably on nobody’s radar, yet comes a terrific story, nonetheless.
The key takeaways that the filmmakers want the audience to grasp are those of greed, overindulgence, and the need for conservation to be a pressing issue, a worthy concern of utmost importance.
The piece has the honor of being the first documentary to be nominated not only for the Best Documentary Oscar but also for the Best International Feature award.
The need to receive dual nominations is a mystery to me, as the documentary is as straightforward as one can be, minus the need for any narration.
Unclear is whether this is the reason for both nominations. It won neither, losing to American Factory (2019) and Parasite (2019), respectively.
The focus is on a middle-aged woman named Hatidze, who lives in a cave in the village, caring for her elderly mother. Not only does she feed and bathe the bedridden matriarch, but she is also the keeper of wild bees in her village.
She periodically embarks on a journey into the city to sell honey that she collects from the beehives.
The honey is of top quality, and she can sustain a living based on a good reputation. A kind man even gives her a free fan to give to her mother, helping to keep the flies away during the intense summer heat.
One day, a rambunctious family of seven arrives to live next door to Hatidze. They are energetic and noisy, but she bonds with them, especially one of the sons. Hatidze teaches the father how to produce honey like she does and warns him to use only half of the honey, or else it will upset the bees and cause problems.
Needing money, the man is pressured to produce more and succumbs to the request, only to accidentally kill Hatidze’s bees, causing a rift in their friendship.
She is heartbroken and angry.
A few reasons to recommend Honeyland are the frequent camera shots that capture moments.
Reportedly, it took three years to film, and over 400 hours of footage were used to create an hour and a half of running time. The best scenes are gorgeously shot and feature Hatidze in close-up moments.
As she gazes into the sunset or prompts her mother to eat bananas for nourishment, the lines on her face express her myriad emotions. She longs to be married, a missed opportunity, and wonders how her life might have been different had she.
Hatidze’s village will be a novelty to most viewers, and she lives in a world that few viewers will have experienced. This is a compelling reason for viewers to explore this other world.
With no electricity, no water, no nothing, she makes do with what little she has and bears no ill will. The neighbors finally pack up and leave, exhausting their short-lived good fortune, and Hatidze is left alone to endure a hard winter.
When her mother finally dies, she succumbs to tears, the burden lifted from her, but with an endless feeling of grief and uncertainty.
Honeyland (2019) conveys a powerful message about the temptations of greed and the repercussions it can have on those who wish to live in peace.
It brings the viewer into a strange world, unfamiliar and dire to nearly everyone. It centers on one woman’s endurance, courage, and tenacity to live her life the only way she knows how, one foot in front of the other.
With gorgeous cinematography, the documentary is slow-paced and not an easy watch, but it mirrors the pace of life in the harsh Macedonian mountains.
Oscar Nominations: Best International Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature
Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Documentary