How can I make a PYTHON submodule directory with similar filenames as those in root import their OWN files with same names first

Question

The title of this question may seem very confusing and I didn't know how to word it properly, but here's the gist of the situation.

Say I have this kind of file structure:

- main.py
- util.py
- submodules
  - module_folder
    - sub_main.py
    - util.py

main.py

import submodules.module_folder.sub_main

util.py

print("Util in root")

submodules/module_folder/sub_main.py

import util

submodules/module_folder/util.py

print("Util in submodules.module_folder.util")

The question is: How can I make submodules/module_folder/sub_main.py's import util load submodules/module_folder/util.py instead of util.py in the root of the directory?

Restrictions:

• I can't change any files in module_folder. They are to be readonly

Application Context: The reason that I want to build it this way is because I am building a feature that will let the user import arbitrary git submodules which can have random file structures and paths.