PRODUTION
KINORAMA, NIGHTSWIM, MICRO FILM, HORSEFLY FILMS, MANEKI FILMS, PERFO PRODUCTION
DISTRIBUTION
EMERA FILM [Italy]
INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
NEW EUROPE FILM SALES [Poland]
PRODUCERS
Ankica Jurić Tilić, Ada Solomon, Didar Domehri
Yorgos Tsourgiannis, Ales Pavlin, Andrej Stritof, Ines Vasiljević
Diana Caravia, Stefano Sardo
GENRE
Drama/Historical
RUNNING TIME
137 min
COUNTRY
Croatia/Italy/Romania/Greece/France/Slovenia
GOD WILL NOT HELP
Hana Jušić
SYNOPSIS
Set in the early 20th century in the hinterland of Dalmatia, the story follows Teresa, a Chilean woman played by actress and director Manuela Martelli, who arrives in an isolated community of cattle farmers claiming to be the widow of the village elder’s brother, who died in a mining accident. Her arrival disrupts the community’s rigid structure, while also bringing with it a vision of freedom and solace.
DIRECTOR'S NOTES
I was drawn to this story above all by the way the harsh reality of the shepherds’ world resonates with our own times—an ever-present echo of the formation of modern society, emerging from smaller, almost primordial communities. Through these resonances, I wanted to speak about women who exist on the margins of that world to an even greater extent than women generally do; women who, from the margins to which they have been relegated, ultimately stick their tongues out at patriarchy.
I also wanted to explore what solidarity and human empathy truly mean within rigid value systems founded on a feverish desire for belonging or possession. In this journey, the very impossibility of communication assumes crucial importance—an idea that generally fascinates me in my work, because language is always inadequate.
Perhaps because they lack the conventional means of communication, Teresa and Milena—and Teresa and Ilija—are truly able to “see” one another. This displaced gaze allows them to save themselves, at least for a moment—or rather, to help one another, since it is clear that God will not intervene.
Original title:
Bog neće pomoći
International title:
God Will Not Help
Directed by:
Hana Jušić
Cast:
Manuela Martelli, Ana Marija Veselčić, Mauro Ercegović
Nikša Butijer, Filip Durić, Tina Orlandini, Ivan Skoko, Vinko Kraljević
Screenplay:
Hana Jušić
Cinematography:
Jana Plećaš
Editing:
Jan Klemsche
Production design:
Laura Boni
Costumes:
Katarina Pilić
Music:
Stavros Evangelou, Iris Asimakopoulou, Vasilis Chontos
Producers:
Ankica Jurić Tilić, Ada Solomon, Didar Domehri
Yorgos Tsourgiannis, Ales Pavlin, Andrej Stritof, Ines Vasiljević
Diana Caravia, Stefano Sardo
Prodution:
Kinorama, Nightswim, Micro Film, Horsefly Films, Maneki Films, Perfo Production, con il contributo del Ministero della Cultura, con il sostegno di Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Romanian National Film Center, Greek Film Centre, CNC, Slovenian Film Centre, Eurimages, HRT, ERT
Distribution:
Emera Film [Italy]
International sales:
New Europe Film Sales [Poland]
Country:
Croatia/Italy/Romania/Greece/France/Slovenia
Year:
2025
Running time:
137'
Format:
Colore
Release date:
6/10/2026
Awards and festivals:
-
Bengaluru International Film Festival 2026: Contemporary World Cinema
-
BIF&ST – Bari International Film Festival 2026: Meridiana Competition – Meridiana Award for Best Artistic Contribution
-
International Women’s Film Festival 2026: International Feature Film Competition – International Feature Film Award for Emerging Women Directors
-
Palm Springs International Film Festival 2026: New Voices New Visions
-
Shanghai International Film Festival 2026: The Belt and Road Film Week
-
Sofia International Film Festival 2026: Balkan Competition – Special Mention
-
Busan International Film Festival 2025: World Cinema
-
Cork International Film Festival 2025: Momentum
-
Seville European Film Festival 2025: Rampa
-
Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2025: International Competition – Best Actress Award (Manuela Martelli)
-
Locarno Film Festival 2025: International Competition – Best Performance Award (Manuela Martelli and Ana Marija Veselčić)
-
São Paulo International Film Festival 2025: New Directors Competition
-
Sarajevo Film Festival 2025: Competition Programme – Feature Film
-
Vancouver International Film Festival 2025: Vanguard