RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL CONTINUES! I SPOKE TO MORE RACA ABOUT HER FILM HOME
10:32:00Good Morning Lovelies,
After that very exciting start to the blog’s Raindance film festival coverage, I thought I would continue with the fun by sharing another interview.
Firstly can you tell readers what the film Home is about and who the characters are?
The film’s main character is a woman who seeks equal share of her ancestral property but according to traditional customs, women have no right to claim any ancestral property, therefore after the death of her father she has to leave the house because she doesn’t belong there anymore. Hava and Qazim are the main characters, they are siblings. She desperately tries to reclaim her legal right albeit the traditional customs say otherwise.
Where Did The Idea For The Story/Plot Come From?
The idea originates from the real life of a woman whose life sequence appears in this film. This woman confessed her shocking fate to me; thus this profound inspiration became my main objective; it is a strong voice for the advocacy of marginalized groups, women in particular. If there is injustice, the truth must be told out loud. Most importantly it sends a strong message to Kosovo’s society because even though we have high standard Western values laws, we lack serious implementation.
Both Xheljane Tërbunja And Sunaj Raça Starred In The Film, Shok. Was It There Portrayals In That Film That Inspired You To Ask Them To Take On These Roles?
Sunaj is a very experienced author and a prominent figure in the Kosovo’s cinematography. He starred in many international winning film awards such as: Kolona, Etjet e Kosoves, Shok, Lost Exile, Rekruti, et cetera. The reason why I chose him to play this character is because of his spontaneous, yet very natural acting which is crucial in Drama genre. The same applies for the main actress Xheljane Terbunja, she is a young and very talented actress who has made wonderful roles.
Congratulations On Being Chosen To Premiere The Film At Raindance This Year! How Did It Feel To Be Chosen?
It was wonderful. An astonishing feeling indeed. This is Raindance, one of the biggest international independent film festivals in the world. Most importantly, this is the very first film being selected from Kosovo and this film will be a world premiere. There is no better feeling than when your film’s journey starts from Raindance onwards.
What Moment Or Scene Would You Like Audiences To Look Out For The Most In The Film And Why?
The film is very dramatic, accompanied with natural and spontaneous interpretation. It involves very emotional scenes due to its controversial theme.
You Have Won Some Amazing Awards For Your Short Films. What Was It About The Film Industry That Made You Want To Work In It?
I strongly focus on themes concerning women issues and their struggles. Apart from many other problems, Kosovo has a very problematic issue when it comes to gender balance and women’s rights. Cinematography is one path for me to tell the truth about these issues and ensure women’s rights are part of the agenda setting.
What Do You Think The Film Industry Could Do To Encourage More Female Filmmakers To Show Their Work?
They should provide more space for women and by that I mean they should have more themes regarding this issue as well as support and encourage women directors to create. My aim is to bring about long term cultural changes and challenge assumptions and stereotyping on the grounds of women issues. This is very challenging and I do not aim to reach full quality but at least I try to reduce the gap. I can send a strong message out here and I am very optimistic that my films will encourage women to advocate for their rights.
Can You Tell Us About What You Are Working On Next Or In The Future?
I am currently working on a new film script. This time it will be a feature film and the theme of the next film is usually the ones that preoccupy me the most.
Look out for more news on Home very soon lovelies!
Blog Soon,
Joey X
To keep up to date with all the latest news from the blog, follow it on Twitter @StartWithThis :)
0 comments