Sworn Virgin

Hana, according to the Albanian tradition "Kanun", has decided to live as a man. As a sworn virgin ("burrnesha"), she enjoys all male privileges except one. As a "marrow," she may carry a gun, hunt, and perform "man's work," but is bound to celibacy. Physical and emotional loneliness drives her from her remote mountain village, to her sister Lila who lives in Italy. "The barren mountain environment represents the forced frigidity that Hana, aka Mark (Alba Rohrwacher), must take on to meet external demands. Crossing the gender boundary in the community does not mean liberation at all, but only another form of oppression of femininity." (epd-film)

Keywords

  • Berlinale
  • Gender
  • Locarno Film Festival!
  • family
  • nature

Actors

  • Alba Rohrwacher
  • Flonja Kodheli
  • Lars Eidinger
  • Emily Ferratello

Director

  • Laura Bispuri

Drama


1h 28min


tous publics

SQ


FR

NL

Albania
Italy
2015
Hana, according to the Albanian tradition "Kanun", has decided to live as a man. As a sworn virgin ("burrnesha"), she enjoys all male privileges except one.

Hana, according to the Albanian tradition "Kanun", has decided to live as a man. As a sworn virgin ("burrnesha"), she enjoys all male privileges except one.


As a "marrow," she may carry a gun, hunt, and perform "man's work," but is bound to celibacy. Physical and emotional loneliness drives her from her remote mountain village, to her sister Lila who lives in Italy.


"The barren mountain environment represents the forced frigidity that Hana, aka Mark (Alba Rohrwacher), must take on to meet external demands. Crossing the gender boundary in the community does not mean liberation at all, but only another form of oppression of femininity." (epd-film)

Festivals

Cast & Crew