Sworn Virgin (film)

2015 film by Laura Bispuri

Sworn Virgin
Theatrical film poster
Original titleVergine giurata
Directed byLaura Bispuri
Screenplay byFrancesca Manieri
Based onVergine giurata
by Elvira Dones
Starring
  • Alba Rohrwacher
  • Flonja Kodheli
  • Lars Eidinger
  • Luan Jaha
  • Bruno Shllaku
  • Ilire Vinca
  • Drenica Selimaj
  • Emily Ferratello
CinematographyVladan Radovic
Edited by
  • Carlotta Cristiani
  • Jacopo Quadri
Music byNando Di Cosimo
Production
companies
  • Vivo Film
  • Colorado Film
  • Bord Cadre
  • The Match Factory
  • Era Film
Distributed by
  • The Match Factory
  • Strand Releasing
Release dates
  • 12 February 2015 (2015-02-12) (Berlin)
  • 19 March 2015 (2015-03-19) (Italy)
Running time
90 minutes
Countries
  • Italy
  • Switzerland
  • Germany
  • Albania
  • Kosovo
Languages
  • Italian
  • Albanian

Sworn Virgin (Italian: Vergine giurata) is a 2015 internationally co-produced drama film directed by Laura Bispuri. It was screened in the main competition section of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival.[1][2][3][4]

Plot

Hana Doda, still a girl, escapes from her destiny of being a wife and a servant, a future imposed on women in the harsh mountains of Albania. Following his uncle's guide, she appeals to the old law of the Kanun, which gives women, taking an oath of eternal virginity, the chance to embrace a rifle and live free as men. For everybody Hana becomes Mark, a "sworn virgin".

But something alive pulses and frets under these new clothes. Her choice becomes her prison and those immense mountains seem so narrow now. Mark decides to set out on journey, too long put off. She leaves her land and arrives in Italy, where a new journey begins; a continuous and subtle path, crossing the line of two far away and different worlds: Albania and Italy, past and present, masculine and feminine.

Slowly Mark discovers her body again. She experiences the vertigo of touching other bodies and she finds caring, loving people life had denied her. She opens up to an unexpected and prohibited love's chance.

Mark rediscovers Hana, finally piecing back together the two souls that for years have lived inside her body. She is reborn as a new, free and complete creature.

Cast

  • Alba Rohrwacher as Mark/Hana
  • Flonja Kodheli as Lila
  • Lars Eidinger as Bernhard
  • Luan Jaha as Stjefen
  • Bruno Shllaku as Gjergj
  • Ilire Vinca as Katrina
  • Drenica Selimaj as Little Hana
  • Emily Ferratello as Jonida

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 71% based on 17 reviews, and an average rating of 7.2/10.[5] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 70 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[6]

Writing for RogerEbert.com, Godfrey Cheshire gave the film two out of four stars. He stated that the film lacks dramatic power and unexpected revelation, but its details and subtle developments, such as the evolving relationship between the main character and her niece, are the most winning aspects.[7]

Awards and Nominations

See also

References

  1. ^ Press Release (19 January 2015). "Berlinale 2015: Competition Complete". Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin. Archived from the original on 27 March 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Vergine giurata (Sworn Virgin)". Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin. 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  3. ^ Lodge, Guy (12 February 2015). "Film Review: 'Sworn Virgin'". Variety. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  4. ^ Young, Deborah (12 February 2015). "'Sworn Virgin': Berlin Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Sworn Virgin", Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved 12 February 2023
  6. ^ "Sworn Virgin", Metacritic, retrieved 12 February 2023
  7. ^ Cheshire, Godfrey. "Sworn Virgin movie review & film summary (2016)". rogerebert.com. Retrieved 12 February 2023.

Additional reading

  • The last of Albania's 'sworn virgins' - story about real Albanian Sworn Virgins