In a traditional village in Kosovo, a year after the war (2000) when people are rebuilding their lives, the female school teacher Lushe is driven by her inner conscience to give an interview to an international journalist, telling her that she and three other women from the village were raped by Serbian forces. When the news is published, the male villagers start being suspicious about their wives. As soon as they realise that it was Lushe who spoke to the journalist, they start to stigmatize her and her little boy, asking her to leave the village, and try to find out if their own wives were among those raped. This pressure continues until Ilir (Lushe’s husband), who was in jail as a prisoner-of-war, returns home. They try to convince Ilir to divorce Lushe. He gets emotionally confused at the beginning, but later, at a village wedding scene, he decides to stay on Lushe’s side, telling everyone that they should not blame, but rather apologise to their wives for not having treated them as victims.A critical view of a society which survived the war, won its independence but still struggles with human equality. An insightful portrait of a Balkan village, of a patriarchal microcosm, and of its mayor who desperately wants to control the village life. Of husbands who feel forced to behave strong, but act against their own emotional interest. A reflection of rituals which not only show gender inequality, but also the absence of freedom of expression within the male community.

Direction: Isa Qosja

Script: Zymber Kelmendi

Production: Shkumbin Istrefi, Mentor Shala, Nicole Gerhards, Shkumbin Istrefi

Cinematography: Gökhan Tiryaki

Editing: Agron Vula

Production Design: Zeni Ballazhi

Costume Design: Krenare Rugova

Sound: Igor Popovski

Cast: Irena Cahani, Luan Jaha, Donat Qosja

Original Title: TRI DRITARE DHE NJË VARJE

Original Language: Albanian

Subtitles: English

Film Production Countries: Kosovo, Germany

Website: ez-festivals.com/three-windows-and-a-hanging/

Social Media: www.facebook.com/pages/Three-Windows-And-A-Hanging/726439397388942

Statement of the Director/s
THREE WINDOWS AND A HANGING has a very tough theme. It was not easy to make a film about it. The characters are psychologically complex, always on the edge of certain emotions. I did not want to make a film that was hard to watch, but I still didn‘t want to avoid the drama and relations between the characters.

Biography of the Director/s
Born on 1949 in Vuthaj, Montenegro, Isa Qosja studied Acting at the High School Of Dramatic Arts in Prishtina and Film and TV Directing at the Film Academy in Belgrade.

Filmography:
1985 PROKA
1987 GUARDS OF THE FOG
2005 KUKUMI

Awards Won
Jerusalem IFF: Best Film
Palm Springs IFF: Special Jury Award
Sarajevo FF: Cineuropa Award
Thessaloniki IFF: Audience Award

World Sales:
EZ Films
Ray Meirovitz
14, rue Mandar
Paris, 75002, France
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: +33 6 82 47 34 20
Website: http://ez-festivals.com/