Filmography
I started working with video documentation of the intangible cultural heritage of Macedonians from the moment I had got my first VHS camera in 1995. My main goal was to make video documentaries for the Museum of Macedonia. So, before my first film was produced in 1998, I had exclusively been involved in making museum video documentaries. One day I received an invitation to participate in the International Festival of Ethnological Film in Belgrade, and from that moment on I have started producing ethnological documentary films. This means that my first films: “Kurban – sacrifice in the village of Pokrajchevo” and “Jolomari”, were the films which had come out of the museum video documentation that I produced. The beginning of my adventure was extraordinary for me, at that very festival in Belgrade I received two awards for my two first films in 1998 and 1999, one of which was the Grand Prix for the film „Jolomari” in 1991.
That’s how it all started.
This Is Us. This Is Ours
47 min 02 sec
Researcher, Camera and Directed by: Vladimir Bocev
Editor: ZOOTROP STUDIO Branko Ristovski
Production: 2023 ETHNOSHOT Vladimir Bocev
Ethnographic film based on participant observation conducted by Vladimir Bocev (camera and scientific research, Museum of Macedonia, Skopje) and Joanna Rękas (photo documentation and scientific research, Institute of Slavic Studies at AMU, Poznan, Poland) during the Christian Easter Sunday in 2013 in Makedonski Brod (Macedonia). The main ethnographic attention is focused on ritual landmarks which present ways of expressing the inner (religious – Ortodox Christianity) and external (town’s population) social boundaries of Makedonski Brod’s citizens. These boundaries appear during the whole complex of the Great (Easter) Sunday celebrations in this small and unknown town, but they are extraordinary visible from the moment of gathering next to the church till the last activity of “Macedonian towers”. Collective memory of religious group and the concept of (re)creating boundaries by rituals are highly represented in “This Is Us. This Is Ours”. With no additional words and researcher’s comments.
15 min 5 sec
Script & Direction VLADIMIR BOCEV
Camera TONI VELICKOVSKI
Editing DANIEL VELJANOVSKI
Production ETHNOSHOT 2023 With Cooperation ZOOTROP STUDIO BRANKO RISTOVSKI
This film is shaped by several ethnographic shots focused on an inadequacy of the traditional requirements and group’s expectations as well as the current living situation of one family in two villages Opila and German, located next to Kriva Palanka, the Republic of Macedonia. The field material was recorded in 2001, unintentionally, with no plans for searching a story and making a film. During this accidental, unplanned, and surprising conversation the main female character realised that it could be a chance for her and her family, for better life. The ethnographer became a saviour an the film thus became a tool and means for further expression.
Village of Opila no. 30
Everyday life in v. Gorni Lipovich and kurban on Mitrovden – the Feast of St. Demetrius
10 min 46 sec
2021 Production: Museum of Macedonia & ZOOTROP STUDIO BRANKO RISTOVSKI
Camera and Author: Vladimir Bocev
Graphic design: Tea Kermetcieva
7th – 8th November 2001
Еveryday life in the village of Gorni Lipovich and daily household activities. Preparation of “varnicas” – ovens for obtaining lime by baking limestone. On 8th November, the feast of St. Demetrius, villagers visit the village cemetery and make a sacrifice of a calf, or, as they would say “offer kurban”. They do it for the health of all the residents of the village.
15 min 25 sec
2021 Production: Museum of Macedonia & ZOOTROP STUDIO BRANKO RISTOVSKI
Camera and Author: Vladimir Bocev
Graphic design: Tea Kermetcieva
Skopje 17th July 1998 20th July 1998.
One of the important markers of identity within Macedonians is sacrificing an animal (kurban), most frequently a lamb, while building a new house. This is being done for the purpose of securing health and success for the people that would live in the house. The head of the lamb is being laid in eastern foundation, together with a silver coin, grain, oil and/or brandy, which differs in different parts of Macedonia. When laying the top roof beam, that is, constructing the roof, it is a tradition that the owners of the house give presents to masons, who would usually give a blessing to the new residents and the house in return.
Offering sacrifice on occasion of laying the foundations of a new house and giving presents to masons when they build the top roof beam
Ritual with masks Vasilichari
12 min 54 sec
2021 Production: Museum of Macedonia & ZOOTROP STUDIO BRANKO RISTOVSKI
Camera and Author: Vladimir Bocev
Graphic design: Tea Kermetcieva
Village of Trstenik, Ovche Pole (Sveti Nikole) 2nd August 2000
Kurban (offering blood sacrifice) on the Feast of St. Elijah In area called Sveti Ilija, located uphill the village of Trstenik, villagers would slaughter a sheep on 2nd August every year. This ritual of blood sacrifice is being performed in honor of St. Elijah. On that day the entire village community would gather around the cross called St. Elijah, where ritual food prepared from the sacrificed animal is being distributed. Two tables “trpezas” are being served, one for men and the other for women. Through these “trpezas” one could observe the age structure of the village residents and the structure of families.
15 min 58 sec
2021 Production: Museum of Macedonia & ZOOTROP STUDIO BRANKO RISTOVSKI
Camera and Author: Vladimir Bocev
Graphic design: Tea Kermetcieva
Village of Trstenik, Ovche Pole (Sveti Nikole) 2nd August 2000
Kurban (offering blood sacrifice) on the Feast of St. Elijah In area called Sveti Ilija, located uphill the village of Trstenik, villagers would slaughter a sheep on 2nd August every year. This ritual of blood sacrifice is being performed in honor of St. Elijah. On that day the entire village community would gather around the cross called St. Elijah, where ritual food prepared from the sacrificed animal is being distributed. Two tables “trpezas” are being served, one for men and the other for women. Through these “trpezas” one could observe the age structure of the village residents and the structure of families.
Kurban at the Feast of St. Elijah
Dead Friday
11 min 59 sec
2021 Production: Museum of Macedonia & ZOOTROP STUDIO BRANKO RISTOVSKI
Camera and Author: Vladimir Bocev
Graphic design: Tea Kermetcieva
Village Dolneni near Prilep 21. June 2002 Dead Friday is the day before the All Souls Day. On that day people clean the cemetery in the village of Dolneni.
There's neither horn nor hoof left
11 min 46 sec
2020 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
The specific way of transferring logs to the mountain Kozuf and the lives of the people who do this hard work is the theme of There’s neither horn nor hoof left. The long existence of this profession has come to an end, no one deals with it anymore. Only memories remain.
11 min 46 sec
2001 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
Rosse from Zagrad
48 min 7 sec
2015 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
Zagrad is a village in the Poreche area. It has but a few permanent residents and Rose is one of them. He is a thirty-six years old man who lives with his mother. The film shows the day-to-day life of Rose, as well as the rites performed in the village every year on the occasion of the feast of Epiphany. These rites are being performed mostly by people who have moved away from the village, but still come back for the feast of the village.
Carnival King of Europe
37 min 16 sec
film by Giovanni Kezich & Michele Trentini
Museo degli Usi e Costumi della Gente Trentina, Italy, 2011
On the field: [among others] Vladimir Bocev
It Won’t Continue No Way
25 min 27 sec
2010 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
The film is dedicated to the last craftsman producing rattles in Bitola and more widely in Macedonia. It shows the complete process of manufacturing rattles.
We Are Alright Till Now
15 min 31 sec
2004 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
The destiny of senior residents that stayed to live alone in almost abandoned Macedonian village has been shown through the case of two old and lonely families still living in the village of Martolci near Veles. The theme of the film is their daily life and their relation with their numerous children and grandchildren.
Train to Martolci
15 min 31 sec
2004 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
Every year the train running from Skopje through Veles to the village of Martolci in the Veles Region transports people that abandoned their village. They get back to the village on Vasilica – the Feast of St. Basilius, that is, on January 14th, for the purpose of celebrating and performing the ritual Vasilichari. Vasilichars are a group ritually disguised people consisting of men only. They begin to walk around the village on the night of January 13th visiting houses till the early morning hours of the following day. Returning to the village of the emigrated residents is for the purpose performing the ritual otherwise there would be none to practise this rite.
We’re Gonna Come again Next Year
17 min
2003 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
The village of Papavnica is an empty village in which nobody has livedfor decades now. Former residents of the village, however, usually get back to the village on the Feast of St. Constantine and Helen, the most significant holiday of the village that has managed to keep the former village community together as one unit.
Shepherd Stone
11 min
2002 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
The cult place Govedar Kamen is one of the most prominent ritual sites in Macedonia. It is located near Sveti Nikole, in the area of the village of Pishirevo. Every year people of different ethniciti and confession gather around Govedar Kamen on occasion of the Feast of St. George (Gjuggjovden), 05 and 06.05. Their one and only goal is to foster fertility and ensure health for themselves and their posterity. It is believed that the desired wish would come true by offering blood sacrifice – kurban and performing certain ritual activities.
Fairy Water
11 min 46 sec
2001 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
The Fairy Water spring is located in the close vicinity of the village Zubovce near Kumanovo. The beliefs in the curing and healing powers of the water from this spring, as well the belief in the fairy powers, have been presented through the personal stories told by village residents and people attending the spring.
In the Name of God
8 min 55 sec,
2001 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
Offering animal as sacrifice is one of the most widely practised ritual among Macedonians. The film presents several cases of offering sacrifice in different places in Macedonia thus reflecting the actual state of performance of this ritual. It also emphasizes the interlacing of pre-Christian and Christian elements in it.
Will Lazarka play
14 min 8 sec
2001 Production: City Museum of Kumanovo
Screenplay & Directed by: Anita Gjoegjieska
Camera & Scentific Assistant: Vladimir Bocev
Editing: Daniel Veljanovski
The Babar Who Gives Change
9 min 24 sec
2000 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
The ritual with masks Babari is being practised in the town Demir Hisar on January 13th – the Feast of St. Basilius, popularly called Vasilica. It actually marks the beginning of the New Year according to the Julian calendar. The parallel presenting of the present-day performance of the Babar ritual and the stories told by one of the former participants in the rite gives the viewer the picture of how the ritual was performed in the past and what Babars from Demir Hisar look like today.
Djolomars
16 min 28 sec 1998 Production: Museum of Macedonia Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
In the village of Begnishte in the Tikvesh Area the beginning of the New Year is being celebrated on the night between 13th and 14th January according to the Julian calendar. The event is marked by Djolomars, a group of ritually disguised people, men only. They go around the village gathering food, wine and brandy. Then they gather around in the centre of the village, as on the theatre stage, dancing and having fun together with the attending peasants.
Kurban - Offering Sacrifice in the Village of Pokrajchevo
14 min 50 sec
1998 Production: Museum of Macedonia
Screenplay, Camera and Directing: Vladimir Bocev
The most important feasts in the village of Pokrajchevo near Radovish are Gjurgjovden – the feast of St. George and Mitrovden – the Feast of St Demetrius. Both feasts are being marked by offering blood sacrifice – kurban. Almost all residents of the village, especially the elderly women, take part in the rituals related with these feasts.