Kosovar Albanian filmmaker Blerta Basholli began in the docu form before launching into fiction terrain with the tale about rebuilding one’s life with 2021’s Hive – the first film ever to win all three top awards in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition: the Grand Jury Prize, the Directing Award, and the Audience Award. Returning to the same decade and same geographical backdrop but this time pre-war, we might be further exploring social issues with her highly anticipated sophomore feature. Here is Everything We Know So Far … for Blerta Basholli‘s Dua.
We first caught wind of this new oeuvre back when it was announced that ARTE France Cinéma was backing the Kosovo, Swiss and France financed project. At the onset it appears that filmmaker-actress Luana Bajrami would topline, but the role eventually went to a first-time actress. Production on the drama took place in October, in various locations in Kosovo for about six weeks.
Co-written by Basholli and Nicole Borgeat, this is set in late 1990s Pristina, 13-year-old Dua struggles to fit into the expectations of womanhood amid Kosovo’s rising tensions. She still looks like a child and feels pressure to like and kiss a boy to gain acceptance from her peers. As ethnic conflict intensifies, a shocking event forces her to confront her fears. Inspired by a bold new friend, she learns to empower herself while her brother considers joining the Kosovo Liberation Army. After a violent encounter with the authorities, Dua’s family is pushed to the brink. With NATO’s intervention on the horizon, she embarks on a journey to find safety, discovering inner strength and resilience along the way.
Pinea Matoshi takes the top role of Dua and is supported by Arben Bajraktaraj, Kaona Matoshi, Yllka Gashi, Kushtrim Hoxha and Fiona Abdullahu.
Ikonë Studio’s Valon Bajgora (who produced Hive) is joined by Britta Rindelaub, Alva Film’s Thomas Reichlin and Kazak Productions’ Amaury Ovise. Film editor Enis Saraçi re-team with Basholli again, while this become a first collab with French cinematographer Lucie Baudinaud (2021’s Olga, 2025’s Nino). The score is signed by Audrey Ismaël.
Seeing that production took place last October, they’ll obviously be aiming for a Cannes splash but perhaps a little fine tuning might be down for a Locarno or Venice Film Festival competition drops. The Party Film Sales are repping world sales.
