Director: Blerta Basholli
Writers: Blerta Basholli
Stars: Yllka Gashi, Cun Lajci, Aurita Agushi, Kumrije Hoxha, Adriana Matoshi, Molike Maxhuni, Blerta Ismaili, Kaona Sylejmani
Synopsis: Based on a true story, “Hive” presents the story of Fahrije, whose husband has been missing since the war in Kosovo. In order to provide for her family, she gets a driver’s license and launches a small food business, but she is heavily judged by the traditional patriarchal village where she lives.
[/info]
Kosovo, 2005. Fahrije (Yllka Gashi) struggles to keep her family afloat. Her husband has been missing for seven years. Her father-in-law is in a wheelchair. Her honey business is going through a rough patch. Her choices are limited and the hope of her spouse coming home is fading. She lives in a limbo where she cannot do anything on her own without going against his memory, while she struggles for money.
This is what we encounter in Hive, the debut of Kosovar filmmaker Blerta Basholli, a film that equally explores the heavy burden of patriarchal traditions and the determination of a woman that goes against the system in order to survive. It is based on the true story of Fahrije, who dared to get a driving license in a country where it is frowned upon. In Kosovo, women do not have a social and economic life without their husband, and the moment she decided to drive around town and create her own company of home-made ajvar, she and her family become the pariahs of town, offending the memory of a possibly death partner.
Although the main storyline of the movie is the way that Fahrije finds the strength in herself to create something successful of her own, Basholli – who also wrote the script – is sensible enough to introduce the desolation of a country that continues to deal with the impact of an armed conflict.
The reality is that, in places like Kosovo, armed conflicts still shape the lives of everyone, even after years of peace. The war can be seen in the numerous forensic bags that arrive with bodies waiting to be identified; the blood-sample campaigns to facilitate the recognition of recovered bones; the annual marches led by the women of the town, demanding answers about their disappeared spouses and children; or the respect for men that are not there, and the heavy judgment of the women that must deal with the obstacles of survival. It has been seven years since the Velika and Mala Kruša massacre of the Kosovo War, and yet no one is able to move on.
Specifically, Fahrije goes through her grief in a quiet and impassive way. She never speaks, unless necessary. She finds private moments to smoke a cigar in an empty room, and continually visits the local river in company of her son and daughter, place that gives her vivid nightmares of finding her husband within its waters.
Yllka Gashi brings Fahrije to life in an impressive way, providing clues about her thoughts through her stern gaze, and going through a personality transformation once she becomes more resolute in her social life. The reality of Fahrije’s life is exhausting – she constantly confronts the harassment of the men of the community, including physical attacks and sexual advances – and Yllka Gashi is remarkable in all her character’s phases.
The path that Fahrije follows is challenging and dangerous. Almost everyone in her inner circle criticizes her significant steps of independence and self-determination. Nevertheless, this woman evolves into an example that influences her father-in-law and her daughter, who sees a new example in her life.
Still, the most satisfying change comes from the women in town. Fahrije and them soon develop a special bond. They understand each other’s struggles because all of them are going through the same process of grief and uncertainty. They share stories, concerns, and moments of bliss. Through this connection, the women confront the traditional society in which they live, forming a strong sisterhood while they work in the production of their home-made ajvar.
With Hive, Blerta Basholli offers a realistic and sensible portrait of the lives of women in such a traditional – and misogynistic – environment. The writer-director successfully presents a combo of misfortunes and achievements. Through the story of Fahrije, Basholli offers a story of success, a strong commentary on the status of women in patriarchal societies, and a striking reflection on the emotional and economic consequences of war.
