Mirage  (2004)

Theatrical Release Information:
Mirage

A young man growing up in a blighted landscape turns inside himself for comfort in this drama. Marko (Marko Kovacevic) is a 13-year-old boy growing up in war-torn Macedonia who is the constant target of thuggish bullies at school, who attack him for his small physical stature and fondness for poetry. Life isn't much better for Marko at home, where his father (Vlado Jovanovski) is an abusive drunk, his mother (Elena Mosevska) is sullen and withdrawn, and his older sister is bitter and hyper-emotional. Encouraged by one of his teachers to explore his creative side, Marko spends much of his spare time in an abandoned building at a railroad yard, where he daydreams and works on his writings. One day, Marko is killing time at his hideaway when he meets a soldier who becomes his friend, confidante, and protector. But is Marko's new friend real, or just a product of his overactive imagination? Mirage (aka Iluzija) was the first dramatic feature from writer and director Svetozar Ristovski. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide