06/08/2024

The life of an elderly couple in the village of Vërnakollë has been sadly followed by Sovran Nrecaj in his short film Fran and Verka: or a usual day in an abandoned village. The director's decision to reveal the loneliness of the duo in the domestic environment and then through the usual daily chores fits perfectly with the slow life, typical of the village. As the only people who populate this abandoned area, Fran and Verka have a pace of their own. They do the daily chores, prepare the coffee or listen to the radio together in the evening. There is no rush for anything. The village is theirs.

In this portrayal of village householders, I began to think about belonging. What makes this couple still live here, in this abandoned place? Their determination is so admirable, but compassion prevails. With the documentary approach, the director has been patient and has not interfered at all in their quiet days, perhaps to show that their reality is much different in this isolated village.

They continue to live in Vërnakollë. What creates a strong impression is that from time to time, nature seems to merge in Fran and Verka. Seeing them in the village, we get the idea that they are embodied and become one with this place. The interior of their house looks like a museum where collective memories of a long-forgotten forgetfulness, or as it is said at the beginning of the film, days when the village was full and weddings lasted for a week, have been collected. And this part didn't leave me without thinking about the full church, and maybe even their marriage there.

In his gaze, the director reveals a reality which has deep notes of sorrow but which he resists framing as such. Perhaps the desire to live in your home is greater than the isolation outside. In the last scene, Verka welcomes Fran with a smile and together they start having their dinner in a warm room with decorations. It seems to be the Christmas. At this moment, everything that throughout the film seemed melancholic, takes the form of the joy of being at home. A decision that seems to have been made by both.

By: Blerta Haziraj

DOKUKINO PLATO 
Time & Date
20:00 / Tue 6 Aug, 2024

KINO ABI ÇARSHIA 
Time & Date
15:30 / Fri 9 Aug, 2024