DIRECTOR: GORAN STOLEVSKI
STARRING: ANAMARIA MARINCA, SAMSON SELIM, VLADIMIR TINTOR, MIA MUSTAFA, ALINA SERBAN
RUNNING TIME: 1 HR 47 MINUTES
Dita never wanted to be a mother, but circumstances force her to raise her girlfriend's two daughters.
STARRING: ANAMARIA MARINCA, SAMSON SELIM, VLADIMIR TINTOR, MIA MUSTAFA, ALINA SERBAN
RUNNING TIME: 1 HR 47 MINUTES
Dita never wanted to be a mother, but circumstances force her to raise her girlfriend's two daughters.
FILM REVIEW:
(This review contains spoilers.)
“I am not a mother. I never will be.”
Housekeeping for Beginners is the International Feature submission for North Macedonia. Dita’s house is chaotic. She owns a house in Skopje, which is shared with her partner Suada, and her two daughters Vanesa and Mia. They’re not the only ones living in the house. Dita’s best friend Toni , along with his new boy Ali, and three other lesbians have found this place to be home for them. It’s a full house, a loud house, with different conversations happening at the same time, and someone fighting with one another at any given time.
Suada has terminal cancer, and her prognosis isn’t a good one. She doesn’t have much time left so she begs Dita to take care of her daughters when she’s gone. She knows that with their fathers not in the picture, her children will end up in a very vulnerable situation. After much convincing, Dita accepts the request and after Suada passes away, Toni is enlisted to register as the girls’ legal father, protecting them from homophobic legalities. Dita and Toni though aren’t the most parentally inclined people. They’re now forced to merge this new family into one, but Mia, and especially Vanesa are dealing with a loss of a mother and being newfound orphans.
Everyone under Dita’s roof is an outsider, either socially, culturally or economically. It has essentially become a safe house for them. The film shows real people, having real fights, real problems, real love, all while suffering from discrimination just for being who they are as people in a country where they’re not really accepted. This modern family has found a way to thrive in creating solidarity by working together and protecting one another.
The road will be a hard one for Dita and Toni and their newly adopted daughters Vanesa and Mia. Losing a mother can manifest a whole new set of problems like low self-esteem, isolation, loneliness, anger and further alienation. There will be moments where they’re overwhelmed with feelings of abandonment and rejection, and behavioural problems. For Dita and Toni, being honest and having an open communication with their children is a must, as well as creating a safe environment for then.
Their journey of becoming housekeepers has just begun. And their 33 year friendship will change your perception of love, in a house already filled with love.
REVIEW: B+
(This review contains spoilers.)
“I am not a mother. I never will be.”
Housekeeping for Beginners is the International Feature submission for North Macedonia. Dita’s house is chaotic. She owns a house in Skopje, which is shared with her partner Suada, and her two daughters Vanesa and Mia. They’re not the only ones living in the house. Dita’s best friend Toni , along with his new boy Ali, and three other lesbians have found this place to be home for them. It’s a full house, a loud house, with different conversations happening at the same time, and someone fighting with one another at any given time.
Suada has terminal cancer, and her prognosis isn’t a good one. She doesn’t have much time left so she begs Dita to take care of her daughters when she’s gone. She knows that with their fathers not in the picture, her children will end up in a very vulnerable situation. After much convincing, Dita accepts the request and after Suada passes away, Toni is enlisted to register as the girls’ legal father, protecting them from homophobic legalities. Dita and Toni though aren’t the most parentally inclined people. They’re now forced to merge this new family into one, but Mia, and especially Vanesa are dealing with a loss of a mother and being newfound orphans.
Everyone under Dita’s roof is an outsider, either socially, culturally or economically. It has essentially become a safe house for them. The film shows real people, having real fights, real problems, real love, all while suffering from discrimination just for being who they are as people in a country where they’re not really accepted. This modern family has found a way to thrive in creating solidarity by working together and protecting one another.
The road will be a hard one for Dita and Toni and their newly adopted daughters Vanesa and Mia. Losing a mother can manifest a whole new set of problems like low self-esteem, isolation, loneliness, anger and further alienation. There will be moments where they’re overwhelmed with feelings of abandonment and rejection, and behavioural problems. For Dita and Toni, being honest and having an open communication with their children is a must, as well as creating a safe environment for then.
Their journey of becoming housekeepers has just begun. And their 33 year friendship will change your perception of love, in a house already filled with love.
REVIEW: B+
