The Third Half (2012)

The Third Half is a Macedonian movie released on 2012 directed by Darko Mitrevski. It is based on the real story of the football team FC Macedonia guided by Jewish coach Illes Spitz during World War II in Macedonia’s Bulgarian occupation zone, and the Shah Foundation interviews a Macedonian Holocaust survivor, Neta Koen, back in 1998. 

                             

The movie shows the terrible history of 7,148 Macedonian Jews, handed over to the gas chambers of Treblinka by the Bulgarian army, authorities and police on German request. The film deals the story of Dimitry who hires the German coach, Rudolph Spitz, and wants to create the best football club in the country. Rudolph stimulates his rag tag team but the first Nazi bombs move through the city and Rebecca, the gorgeous daughter of a banker, elopes with Rudolph’s star player. All these events have changed Dimitry’s plans.

When the movie was screened, Bulgarian European Parliament members appalled over the movie and demanded European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule to admonish the Republic of Macedonia on the movie. However, direction of the movie and his crew succeeded in their attempt of denying the Holocaust. If you are a football fanatic, this movie will serve the purpose well.