Noomi Rapace is teasing her portrayal of Mother Teresa in the upcoming film “ Mother ,” in which the multi-faceted Swedish talent tackles the role of the Catholic saint when she was just an ordinary woman.

Speaking at the Sarajevo Film Festival this week, where she’s part of a competition jury led by Paul Schrader, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” and “Prometheus” star said she was drawn to the unconventional portrayal of Teresa because she wasn’t interested in doing a traditional biopic. “She was no saint,” Rapace said. “She’s a quite complex character.”

“Mother,” which marks the English-language debut of North Macedonian filmmaker Teona Strugar Mitevska (“God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya”), will follow seven days during a pivotal moment in the life of the revered saint, when she decides to leave the Loreto Entally convent in Calcutta and launch her own order.

“She’s seeking permission from the Vatican to embark on her calling, her mission, to leave the convent and start her work outside,” Rapace explained. “No one has sought to do what she’s requesting permission for. It’s unprecedented. She’s a woman in a man’s world.”

Rapace, who left her family in Sweden at the age of 15, said she could empathize with Teresa's journey, as she understands the feeling of leaving a secure life behind.

“I've felt like I'm defying the odds numerous times, discovering my voice and myself in various foreign settings,” she remarked. “So I think I can relate to her unwavering determination and her belief that she needed to do this, even if it was going to be difficult.”

Rapace continued, “She speaks candidly about her struggles and doubts. She once said, ‘If I ever achieve sainthood, it will undoubtedly be through darkness,’ which is a very powerful statement.”

Speaking of her collaboration with Mitevska, Rapace described the director as “an exceptional filmmaker” and praised her “bold and passionate approach,” saying: “She doesn't shy away from telling the story honestly.”

“Both Teona and I share a certain connection with Mother Teresa's unwavering determination and her refusal to back down from a challenge,” she said. “I relate to that, the idea of fighting for something you deeply believe in, even if others doubt you or can't see the vision.”

Mitevska, who was in Sarajevo this week to introduce the dark comedy-horror series “ Little Yugoslavia ” alongside Slovenian co-creator Sonja Prosenc, departed from the Balkan festival for Calcutta, where the director shared she's finalizing locations for “Mother.” Production is scheduled to commence on Sept. 23 in Belgium, where interior scenes will be filmed, before relocating to India.

“This isn't a biographical film,” Mitevska told Variety , describing the film as a glimpse into a single week in the life of the saint “before she became the Mother Teresa we know today.”

“Our goal was to deconstruct the image surrounding the myth and simply present this highly intelligent, ambitious woman with a compassionate heart, who was equally imperfect as the rest of us,” said the director.

Born in North Macedonia, the same birthplace as Teresa, the director explained the film draws inspiration from a docuseries she created for Macedonian television over a decade ago. During this project, she recognized Teresa's significance not as a religious figurehead but as a powerful female role model. “She possessed a rebellious, punk rock energy that spread like wildfire; she was a leader of a women's army,” Mitevska stated.

“Mother” is a collaborative effort involving five countries: Macedonia’s Sisters and Brother Mitevski, Belgium’s Entre Chien et Loup, Denmark’s Frau Film, the Netherlands’ Baldar Film, Sweden’s Spark Film & TV and Film i Väst.

The Sarajevo Film Festival runs Aug. 16 – 23.