Virgina (1991)

"Virgina" tells a tale from the end of the 19th century. It took place in a isolated village near the Adriatic Sea. Because of the extreme patriarchal culture there is a superstition that ... See full summary »

Director:

Srdjan Karanovic

Writers:

Srdjan Karanovic, Milosav Marinovic

Stars:

Miodrag Krivokapic, Marta Keler, Inka Gogálová

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Miodrag Krivokapic	...	Timotije
Marta Keler	...	Stevan
Inka Gogálová	...	Dostana (as Ina Gogalova)
Igor Bjelan	...	Mijat
Slobodan Milovanovic	...	Paun
Matija Prskalo	...	Najstarija sestra
Mirko Vlahovic	...	Momak
Sladjana Bebic	...	Andja
Vjenceslav Kapural	...	Josip
Nada Gacesic-Livakovic	...	Ranka
Natalija Karna	...	Sredjna sestra
Lana Djurkin	...	Najmladja sestra
Andrijana Videnovic	...	Laura
Miodrag Macura	...	Ante
Petar Popovic	...	Gradjanin

Storyline

"Virgina" tells a tale from the end of the 19th century. It took place in a isolated village near the Adriatic Sea. Because of the extreme patriarchal culture there is a superstition that families without male heirs are cursed. When the wife of a farmer gives birth to their fourth daughter, father decides that the child will become a so-called "Virgina" and that she will live as a man, so that she can work and be the family heir. This heartbreaking story of Virgina's life is told with strong words, augmented with harsh environment.

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Plot Keywords:

superstition | village | farmer | sexual identity | gender confusion | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

As of 2016 it was included in the #100 Serbian movies list (1911-1999) and protected as cultural heritage of great importance.

User Reviews

Amazing film

The idea of this film is quite original and intriguing. I watched it for the first time about a year ago and I now consider it one of my favourite films of all time. As an English speaker, the Serbian dialogue/necessity of subtitles did not take anything from my enjoyment, as it added to the otherworldly, minimalistic atmosphere. After being flooded with Hollywood sensationalism, a film like this is extremely refreshing- dramatic but not melodramatic. It is honest and beautiful. The focus is on the internal and external struggles of the characters instead of action and visual effects. I found myself brought to tears by the plight of the protagonist; I would recommend this to anyone who likes foreign films, GLBT films (as it shows a different aspect of gender identity), or "slow", thoughtful dramas.

Details

Country:

Yugoslavia France

Language:

Serbo-Croatian

Release Date:

5 April 1991 (Yugoslavia)

Also Known As:

Virgina

Company Credits

Production Co:

Centar Film, Constellation Productions, Hachette Première

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color