Fahrije has kept her family fed for years without knowing whether her husband is alive. Hive follows the moment she stops waiting and starts building something of her own.
What is Hive about?
In a Kosovar village where many families are still missing relatives from the war, Fahrije starts a modest food venture to support her two children on her own. Her husband disappeared during the conflict years earlier and has never turned up, alive or otherwise, leaving her stuck in a limbo the film never lets her fully escape. Earning her own income puts her in direct conflict with neighbors who expect women to stay dependent on a husband, and their disapproval only grows louder as her venture gains ground. Eventually Fahrije has to choose between holding on to hope that he might still come home and fully committing to the independent life she has built in his absence.
About the cast
Yllka Gashi anchors the film as Fahrije, with Çun Lajçi, Aurita Agushi, Kumrije Hoxha, Adriana Matoshi, Molike Maxhuni, Blerta Ismaili and Kaona Sylejmani filling out the village around her.
Context & significance
Hive is a co-production across Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and Switzerland, directed by Blerta Basholli. The story is set against the aftermath of the Kosovo war, when many families were left without word of relatives who had disappeared, and treats that lingering uncertainty as the backdrop for an otherwise ordinary struggle to keep a household going.
Watching Hive on Ktime
The film streams on K-Time with a free account login, and the Farsi-dubbed and subtitled versions make it easy to follow in either language for viewers who prefer watching in Persian.