Housekeeping for Beginners

Dita is a white woman with a gypsy lesbian lover Suada, and Suada's daughters by different fathers - Vanessa in grade 9, and Mia aged 5. Also in the apartment is Dita's white gay friend Toni, and his new boy-toy, the gypsy Ali. Both Suada and Ali hail from Shutka, the gypsy (Roma) municipality, and at times Ali manages to play fixer.

Aware that she may die of cancer, and having experienced racial discrimination in earlier life, Suada tries to get her girls to recognize Dita as mother and Toni as father, and even gets Toni's name on their birth certificates. But when she dies, Mia bonds with Ali, while Vanessa rejects this family, wanting either to "go home" to grandma, or to marry a boy who is going abroad.

This film likely hits themes that are more relevant in North Macedonia than in Canada, but still is an interesting exposition of the life of minorities. There are dual themes of discrimination by ethnicity and sexuality. There is a brief scene where Dita "straightens out" her living room and Toni, expecting police to show up after Vanessa acts out. But the scenarios are believable, and the performances good, especially Mia, whose role was written well for her.

The dialog in Shutka is tricky, as there is Romany mixed in, and the subtitles don't show the language differences, making me scramble to try to figure out what language was being spoken. Also, some of the hand-held camera work was a bit shaky.

Australians had better start claiming this gifted writer/director as one of their own quick-smart. This is Goran Stolevski's 3rd feature release in as many years. He has a knack for authentic, energetic stories fleshed with deeply flawed, funny, evolving characters. He is also a wonderful storyteller. In lesser hands, this could be a well-worn tale of misfits and society's marginalia finding a place to call home. But in Stolevski's deft hands, we get carried into a universal tumble-dryer about everybody's family and our need for a place where we can need and want and feel. The performances he manages to get out of his 5 year-old scene stealer and the cast of dozens of untrained actors is a masterclass for up-and-coming film-makers. Stolevski's raw, intimate cinematography and energetic editing complete the showcase of instincts this talented film-maker is blessed with. I hope he starts to get the attention he deserves.

Alternative "family" structures have been around for some time now, and they've assumed a variety of forms, both domestically and overseas, as well as in their essential composition. And, in a number of cases, it has taken some trial and error to figure out what works best for these diverse groupings, depending on the various factors that characterize the individuals involved. Such is the case in this profile of a multi-ethnic, mostly LGBTQ+ household in Skopje, North Macedonia that struggles to find a harmonious footing when stricken by a tragedy involving a family matriarch (Alina Serban). Those left behind (Anamaria Marinca, Vladimir Tintor, Samson Selim) must figure out how to regroup, particularly when it comes to the care of a belligerent adolescent (Mia Mustafa) and her sweet, young, surprisingly worldly half-sister (Dzada Selim). It's especially challenging for those in charge, given that they're not terribly experienced at (nor overly interested in) the responsibility for such matters. They truly find themselves engaged in a crash course of "housekeeping for beginners," one that finds them with one foot each in the middle class world of Skopje and in the impoverished world of nearby Shutka, an enclave of Roma (a.k.a. "Gypsy") culture. Writer-director Goran Stolevski's third feature outing provides an intriguing look at life in locales that have not received much cinematic attention, depicted through the eyes of an eclectic mix of characters living lives far different from what one typically finds in most conventional households. This domestic comedy-drama gets off to a somewhat rocky start, mainly due to a failure in identifying the nature of the relationships among the principals, and a narrative that can be rather episodic at times, with resolutions to its multiple story threads that feel incomplete or end abruptly (most notably in the final act). Viewers probably would have benefitted from some additional information about the ethnic backgrounds of the characters, too, given that many viewers are likely unfamiliar with the cultures involved. However, once the picture starts settling down and finding its rhythm, this release definitely gets stronger and more involving as it progresses, touching audiences profoundly, given that the situations that arise are often universal in nature, no matter what structure a family unit takes. "Housekeeping for Beginners" definitely has its strengths and touching moments; it's a little disappointing, though, that there aren't more of them. Greater clarification and consistency in the storytelling would have done this offering a world of good in its depiction of a world otherwise seldom seen.

Following the intensity and romantic themes of his earlier works, Goran Stolevski, the talented Macedonian-Australian director, presents a different facet in this vibrant and chaotic domestic drama. This film has been chosen as Macedonia's submission for the international Oscar shortly after its debut in the Horizons section of the Venice Film Festival, and the rationale is evident. The Romale lifestyle is perpetually engaging, both on and off the screen, and is inherently dramatic-ideal for cinematic storytelling. Naturally, to secure European Commission funding, a narrative with LGBTQ+ themes is often necessary, resulting in a film that is inclusive and reflective of contemporary society. But, I personally do not think there is any chance you could have so many gay people at one place in a city like Skopje - only way is if they were part of some "gay sect" as Mia Mustafi as Vanesa insinuated to the police in one of the scenes.

Having spent several years in Skopje, I found the portrayal somewhat surreal-only the Roma characters resonated as authentic. The other characters were intended to represent a modern family dynamic: Dita (Anamaria Marinca), an Albanian lesbian from Kosovo; Dita's Roma partner Suada (Alina Serban); the brooding teenager Vanesa (Mia Mustafa) and the exuberant kindergartener Mia (Dzada Selim), who are Suada's daughters from previous relationships; along with Dita's long-time gay friend Toni (Vladimir Tintor). Stolevski immerses the audience in this unconventional scenario with minimal exposition, trusting viewers to discern the relationships and backstories through the dialogue and physical interactions. The film's opening, which introduces the characters through their interactions, was particularly effective; however, the narrative lost its focus in the final act, feeling hurried and lacking depth.

While I will refrain from divulging too much of the plot, I must express my discontent with co-productions that prioritize foreign actors for lead roles. In this instance, Romanian-born Anamaria Marinca struggled to embody her character, appearing detached even during the most poignant scenes. In contrast, Serbian actor Vladimir Tintor delivered a stronger performance, yet I believe there were numerous Macedonian actors who could have matched or surpassed his portrayal.

The film features commendable cinematography and competent direction, though it suffers from inconsistencies, the screenplay was warm and dramatic, camera work challenging and sometimes adventurous... things were mostly good!