Exciting News: New Europe Film Sales Joins Forces with Hana Jušić for ‘God Will Not Help’ Ahead of Locarno Film Festival Premiere
New Europe Film Sales has officially partnered with acclaimed Croatian director and screenwriter Hana Jušić for her latest drama, God Will Not Help, which is set to make its world premiere in competition at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival this August. This marks Jušić’s second solo feature film, following her award-winning debut, Quit Staring at My Plate, which also saw sales handled by New Europe.
About the Film:
Set in the early 20th century, God Will Not Help tells the story of Teresa, a Chilean woman who arrives in a tightly-knit mountain community of Croatian shepherds, claiming to be the widow of their émigré brother. Her unexpected presence disrupts the community’s established dynamics, igniting tension while simultaneously offering newfound freedom to its members.
This film is among 17 select titles chosen for Locarno’s International Competition, alongside notable films like Ben Rivers’ Mare’s Nest, Radu Jude’s Dracula, and Abdellatif Kechiche’s Mektoub, My Love: Canto Due.
Star-Studded Cast:
Featuring Chilean actress and director Manuela Martelli (known for Machuca and Il Futuro) in her first major role in five years, the cast also includes Ana Marija Veselčić, Filip Đurić, Mauro Ercegović Gracin, and Nikša Butijer. Martelli received acclaim for her directorial debut 1976 in 2022, adding to the film’s impressive pedigree.
Production Team:
God Will Not Help is produced by Ankica Jurić Tilić from Kinorama, along with co-producers Ada Solomon and Diana Caravia from MicroFILM (Romania), Ines Vasiljević and Stefano Sardo from Nightswim (Italy), Didar Domehri from Maneki Films (France), Yorgos Tsourgiannis from Horsefly Films (Greece), and Aleš Pavlin and Andrej Štritof from Perfo Production (Slovenia). The film received funding from various institutions, including the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Slovenian Film Centre, Viba Film Studio, Romania’s National Cinema Centre, France’s National Cinema Centre, Italy’s Ministry of Culture, and Greece’s Greek Film Centre and state broadcaster ERT.
Continuing the Journey:
Jušić’s debut feature, Quit Staring at My Plate, premiered at the Venice Film Festival’s Giornate degli Autori sidebar, where it won the Fedeora Best Euro-Mediterranean Film award and earned Jušić the Best Director accolade at the Tokyo Film Festival.
Jan Naszewski, head of New Europe Film Sales, expressed enthusiasm about continuing their collaboration with Jušić, stating, “We are thrilled to support Hana, a truly exciting voice in contemporary European cinema.”
Stay tuned for more updates on God Will Not Help as it approaches its highly anticipated premiere at the Locarno Film Festival!
