The Marriage (2017)

Bekim and Anita are getting married, but she is unaware that he is still in love with his best friend Nol.

Director:

Blerta Zeqiri

Writers:

Blerta Zeqiri, Kreshnik Keka Berisha

Stars:

Alban Ukaj, Adriana Matoshi, Genc Salihu

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alban Ukaj	...	Bekim
Adriana Matoshi	...	Anita
Genc Salihu	...	Nol
Vjosa Abazi	...	Zana
Kumrije Hoxha	...	Sadie
Luan Kryeziu	...	Nevzati
Edon Rizvanolli	...	Bujar
Kaona Sylejmani	...	Young Anita
Ilire Vinca Celaj	...	Anita's Mother (as Ilire Vinca)
Melihate Qena	...	Aunt Remzie
Ernest Malazogu	...	Avdi
Aurita Agushi	...	Avdi's wife
Arta Selimi	...	Anita's Friend 1
Yllka Brada	...	Anita's Friend 2
Besfort Daka	...	Liki The Manager

Storyline

Their wedding in only two weeks, Anita and Bekim are adding the final touches to their big day. Despite expecting news of Anita's parents, declared missing since the 1999 Kosovar War, and with Bekim's controlling family in turn, the couple seem to manage somehow with the preparations. But when Bekim's secret gay ex-lover, Nol, returns from abroad unexpectedly, the situation becomes complicated, especially when Bekim realizes that Nol is still in love with him. Inevitably, the wedding banquet becomes loaded with tension when the unusual love triangle starts to unravel.

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Plot Keywords:

gay | gay character | bare chested male | gay lead character | gay man | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

Official Film Webpage

Country:

Kosovo Albania

Language:

Albanian

Release Date:

1 February 2018 (Kosovo)

Also Known As:

The Marriage

Box Office

Budget:

€447,100 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Beze,Bunker Film Plus

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (5.1 surround)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Official submission of Kosovo for the 'Best Foreign Language Film' category of the 91st Academy Awards in 2019.

User Reviews

A terrific tangled webbed love story

Kosovar Director and Scriptwriter Blerta Zeqiri won the Black Nights Film Festival (2017) Award for Best Director and Feature Film for "The Marriage". Thus, "The Marriage" is Kosovar's official 2018 Oscar entry. Bedim (Alban Ukaj) and Anita (Adriana Satoshi) are childhood lovers soon to marry. When Bedim's male ex-lover Nol (Genc Salihu - Kosovo's #1 musician) drops back into his life, their past history soon become a tangled web for all three. Director Zeqiri manages to successfully intertwine several storylines here, that of Anita trying to figure out her fiancé's relationship with his old friend, Anita trying to find her place in life while see waits to see if her missing parents have been killed by the Serbes, and the continued struggle that many Kosovar LGBTQ citizens must endure which leads them to marry opposite sex partners in order to survive. What stands out here is that while all the main characters are struggling to identify with who they really are, as an audience, we can relate with each and want each to find what makes them full. I don't know if this type of film will find Oscar success, but you can't go wrong with the tangled love story, terrific acting and interesting relationships presented.