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| Hatidze Muratova in "Honeyland" Photo Credit: Imdb.com |
Neon has done it again with Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska’s gorgeous documentary, “Honeyland,” which sweeps us away on a journey of a woman’s tradition that soon faces a threat from those who don’t understand it.
Hatidze Muratova is one of the last Macedonian beekeepers, making a living by selling the honey that her bees create, and always leaving half for them. When a family of seven moves in near her and plan on making honey with just profits in mind, Hatidze’s way of life will soon be clouded with uncertainty.
The cinematography by Fejmi Daut and Samir Ljuma does superb work in capturing the natural environment that surrounds Hatidze’s home. In the first scene, we see her walking through valleys and scaling mountain ledges to reach one of the places where she cultivates her bees, and the rest of the film delivers landscapes that are just as stunning. We see the meticulousness of Hatidze’s work, showing the dexterity with which she performs her beekeeping, which gives us an idea of how long she’s been doing this. Through all of this, we’re immersed in this beautiful part of the world that we feel lucky to be witnessing on a big screen.
As we watch the new family become acclimated to their fresh surroundings, it’s intriguing to see Hatidze interact with her neighbors, after being alone on the land with her mother for so long. These benevolent interactions are rendered heartbreaking once Hatidze realizes that the family’s intentions for cultivating bees isn’t for anything more than monetary gain. We see the strong contrast between Hatidze’s methodical, caring approach to making honey versus the family’s carelessness that’s caused by dollar signs in their eyes. It’s an emotional storyline as we begin to see Hatidze’s work threatened by those who aren’t as in tune with beekeeping as she is.
Besides the part of the documentary that focuses on the interactions between Hatidze and her neighbors, there’s also a heartwarming plot thread about Hatidze’s dedication to caring for her 85-year-old mother, Nazife. The mother-daughter relationship shows that, despite Hatidze working all day with the bees, she always makes sure that her mother is fed and rested. The way this loving and humorous bond is presented shows Hatidze’s deep commitment to her mother as they reside in their hut, eating, talking, and seeming as if all that they need is each other.
An impressive aspect of this movie is how, even though it’s a documentary, it plays out like a drama. There aren’t any instances in which the subjects talk to the camera or provide narration. Instead, Ljubomir and Kotevska have events play out in front of them without any sort of interference. Because of this, you’re given an idea of what a day in the life is like for Hatidze, and it isn’t anything short of fascinating. You see all of the hard work that goes into her daily routines, and you feel that there’s a sense of enjoyment that she receives from this lifestyle and a strong connection that has been formed between her and her work after doing it for a lengthy period of time.
Ljubomir and Kotevska create a profound portrait of this corner of the world and the traditions that go along with it. The movie is just under an hour and a half, but when you come out of the movie, you feel as though you have learned so much about Hatidze and people within her life. The film spends a near equal amount of time on both Hatidze and the family, so we’re able to see the impact that they have on each other, as well as the dynamics that occur within the separate households. Ljubomir and Kotevska make the most out of every minute that they present to us, resulting in a richness in the details as we examine the countless, valuable things that nature can teach us.
“Honeyland” is a beautiful odyssey that takes you through the lifestyle of a woman who does something extraordinary with her passion, which treats us to a film that deserves all of the buzz that comes its way.
Grade: A
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