The story is set high in the mountains of Albania, and follows 16-year-old girl Békia, who decides to radically change her life. According to Albanian tradition, in front of the entire village, at church, she renounces all aspects of her femininity, cuts her hair, begins dressing as a man, and takes the name Matja. She becomes a "sworn virgin." This decision costs her the life of her father and the breakup of her entire family. Ten years later, Matja attempts to explain the reasons for her choice, and she embarks on a long journey to Sofia.
“Bekia is only 16, almost the same age as Shakespeare’s Juliet. Only a genuine impulse, arising from life in this accursed place, will help her to traverse this territory strewn with traps where she must complete her transformation from Bekia to Matja. This step is the only way for Bekia to stay true to the love of her life. More than 10 years will have to pass before she can resolve the conflicts that have destroyed her life and those of the people she loves”, director Kostadin Bonev told FNE.
Тhe cast features Albanian actors Altea Lazaj, Urim Aliaj, Edinjo Jahija, Mirela Naska and Denardo Neziri, joined by Deniza Pavlova and Snezhina Petrova from Bulgaria.
Bonev is producing the film through Bulgaria’s Trivium films in coproduction with Italy’s L’age d’or and Albania’s Papadhimitri Filmproduction.
She Who Remains has received production support from the Bulgarian National Film Center (450,000 ЕUR), the Albanian Film Center (50,000 ЕUR), the Italian Ministry of Culture (200,000 ЕUR), as well as 35,000 ЕUR in pre-sale from Bulgarian National Television.
The total budget is 1.25 m ЕUR.
Тhe project was shawcased at the Pristina Film Festival in 2023, Apulia Film Festival and Market in 2023, as well as the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in 2024.
The 30 shooting days аre divided between October 2024 and June 2025 at locations in Qeparo and Permet in Albania, as well as Sofia. The film is lensed by the Italian cinematographer Massimo Foletti, known for Salvatore Mereu’s Bellas mariposas (2012).
The final postproduction will be completed in March 2026.
The producer is actively seeking European TV channels and sales agents.
Production Information:
Producer:
Trivium Films (Bulgaria)
Kostadin Bonev: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Coproducers:
L’age d’or (Italy)
Papadhimitri Filmproduction (Albania)
Credits:
Director: Kostadin Bonev
Scriptwriters: Rene Karabash, Kostadin Bonev
DoP: Massimo Foletti
Set designer: Stivi Rrapo
Costume designer: Ermela Marku
Editor: Alex Dimitrov
Composer: Nikolai Ivanov
Cast: Altea Lazaj, Deniza Pavlova, Urim Aliaj, Edinjo Jahija, Mirela Naska, Snezhina Petrova, Denardo Neziri
