La ruche

In the United States, an old adage is "when god gives you lemons, you make lemonade." The notion of someone turning your curse into a blessing, or the US equivalent a successful product.

The Albanian tale, even if not for the particulars, is sadly a familiar one. The women in fact are twice victims, first of a massacre of their men...and then of the misogyny and confinement placed upon them by other remaining men.

The lead actress steadfastly carries her stoicism and her family, through the roughest of times. She looks a bit like Sandra Bullock but strong and severe. She and others do their best to help a town make it through the worst of times, again the tail is familiar but some how the movie. Injects enough local flavor, that it is impossible to root for Fahrije and her fellow queen bees.

And for Fahrije and her family, the young son - the torn daughter and especially the father-in-law, who struggles with physical and emotional injury but provides a key aspect of the caring male in world where few to none are left.

Side note : I'm not sure a man can ever be a feminist. But no doubt a real man can appreciate feminism in action.

Anyways, this almost feels like a documentary - as the story is based in a reality that surely left many reeling. And while product placement may be a bane for many movies, here the label is less important than what is inside.

Then again, isn't that always the case in ajvar and humans as well.

The film is beautifully made, has a perfect pace, is well acted and tells not only the story of a woman in Kosovo, but one that can be applied to many women in the workplace or society around the globe. I truly hope the movie gets out to a larger audience while I had the chance to watch it at the Zurich Film Festival.

Important (true) story of the painful aknowledgement of a husband lost to an unjust war and an equally painful struggle to be respected and allowed to work (being a woman) for the sake of one's family. Well played and well directed, not sure though why this film won the Sundance Festival as best international film.

An excellent Oscar submission from Kosovo- "Hive" tells the true story of Fahrije Hoti: a woman who suffered greatly, losing her husband in the Kosovo war and fighting for financial independence and security for herself and her family.

Fahritje and her village neighbors struggle together to get up from adversity, directly eliminating the stigma of weak women who only depended on the role of men. Greatly acted and directed, the film tells the story of mothers who are strong and mentally steel. The real Wonder Women.

Totally worth seeing. The strength, hardship, tolerance, stubbornness and dignity, integrity of these women fighting for whatever little money, the main character struggling to put food on the table, and being labeled a traitor! It's outrageous how the men sitting in their cafes doing nothing don't accept her willingness to work, so hard! And her children growing up in this environment one day they'll understand the work their mother proudly soldiered on for them. Knowing full well her husband wasn't coming back. Damn the war, all the pointless killings of men women children, the old the young, the unborn, such love and care comes out in the end, for the power of love will eventually prevail...xx.