“The patriarchy becomes harsher because of the consequences of war”: Yllka Gashi and Blerta Basholli on Hive

Writer-director Blerta Basholli’s Hive is an immersive look inside the reality of life for a woman living in the aftermath of the Kosovo War. Like many other women in her village, Fahrije’s (Yllka Gashi) husband went missing during the war and her hopes of finding him alive diminish by the day. But rather than give herself over to the bleakness of this purgatory life – spent peeking inside UN collected body bags to inspect the decaying contents for any recognisable feature of her lost husband – she is determined to look to the future and secure work and income for her children and father-in-law. When the opportunity arises for her and the other widows to club together and start their own business selling red pepper paste, she grabs it by the horns.

There is a problem, though: the stubbornly patriarchal rural community she is surrounded by do not accept the idea of women working or even driving a car, and seemingly will stop at nothing to stand in her way. And so ensues a quiet yet tense battle for independence and freedom against the odds.

Based on a true story, Hive is also infused with the personal experiences of both Basholli and her lead actress Gashi, who were both Kosovan refugees in the past. The handheld camera is trained almost exclusively on Gashi’s tenacious face that only rarely cracks into a smile. The blood, sweat and tears that go into Fahrije’s survival are palpable on screen. 

Deservingly, the film won three awards at Sundance – the Audience Award, Directing Award and World Cinema Grand Jury Prize; it is executive-produced by Emmy award-winner Elisabeth Moss and Lindsey McManus and also has the backing of the likes of Dua Lipa and Rita Ora. It’s an empowering tale that celebrates the ingenuity and strength of the women it portrays in the face of injustice, and highlights the misogyny that still lingers in many societies to this day.

Ahead of the release, The Upcoming had the pleasure of speaking with Basholli and Gashi about their personal connections to the story, the making of the film and its themes. Gashi told us: “As actors from Kosovo, we don’t get that many chances to make these kind of films, to tell these stories.” Watch the rest of the interview below.

Sarah Bradbury

Hive is released in select cinemas on 18^th March 2022.

Watch the trailer for Hive here: