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    • New Talents Open Call
      Eastern Neighbours Film Festival (ENFF) began in The Netherlands in 2008 with the idea to offer Dutch and international audiences a unique glimpse into the cinema of their neighbors from Eastern and Southern Europe. This annual event presents the most recent, exciting, and thought‐provoking films, from countries with small, but often powerful film industries, that… Read more: New Talents Open Call
    • ENFF 2023 On Demand!
      Unable To attend the festival in person? No problem! From November 27th to December 3rd, we’re thrilled to bring you a curated selection of this year’s films available for online viewing! Catch our captivating Opening Film Ivan’s Land, or the touching Closing Film Seventh Heaven. Or explore a collection of shorts from the New Talents Competition! Follow along… Read more: ENFF 2023 On Demand!
    • What’s up in Slovak Cinema? A conversation with Monika Lostakova
      We talked with Monika Lošťáková about contemporary Slovak cinema.
    • ENFF and the Eastern European Film Festival Network!
      The Eastern European Film Festival Network brings together five film festivals dedicated to promoting and showcasing Eastern European cinema, alongside one partner organisation.
    • Masterclasses
      Through these masterclasses we approach two memory in film from different angles: memories from a personal or collective recollection through archive material.
    • Work in Progress
      In Work in Progress, emerging filmmakers and artists will present their works in development to the audience and engage in discussions with Dutch experts.
    • Festival Timetable Available!
    • Check out the catalogue for our 2023 edition!
    • Music at ENFF
      Every year, ENFF brings special musical guests who bring beauty to the program and further represent the rich cultures of their countries to a Dutch audience.
    • Film Marathon
      Join us for the Film Marathon, a new concept in which we merge two components, Short Films, Big Stories, and New Talents Competition into a whole-day screening of short films!

Fran and Verka; or a Usual Day in an Abandoned Village

dir. SOVRAN NRECAJ

DUTCH PREMIERE

This poignant film, which premiered at Sarajevo Film Festival, looks at the lives of two elderly individuals in a remote village in Kosovo and brilliantly depicts a forgotten lifestyle, a microhistory of its kind.

Fran and Verka are the sole inhabitants of Vernakolle – where they first met many years ago, got married and have been living ever since. After the 1999 war in Kosovo, it all changed. Everyone but Fran and Verka left the village. Their story is a testament to the unbreakable bonds that tie us to what we call home and where we belong.

SHOWTIMES | Special Feature with Maldita. A Love Song to Sarajevo, Granny’s Sexual Life & Truth

Thursday, 23 November – 16:45


Sunday, 26 November – 14:30

Buy Tickets Here!

FRAN AND VERKA; OR A USUAL DAY IN AN ABANDONED VILLAGE | 2023 | 14 min | Kosovo

PRODUCTIONAurela Kadriu – Can and Cam
SCREENPLAYSovran Nrecaj
CINEMATOGRAPHYBesim Ugzmajli
EDITINGSovran Nrecaj
SOUNDPellumb Ballata
MUSICJ.S. Bach (played on piano by Njomza Kastrati)
LANGUAGENo dialogue

FESTIVALS & AWARDS (SELECTION) 

Sarajevo Film Festival, 2023 – World Premiere

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

I aimed to capture the poignancy of two elderly individuals living in a remote, forgotten village in Kosovo. The absence of dialogue in the film emphasises the solitude of their existence and allows viewers to witness their daily routine without any distractions. Through the “fly on the wall” style, the camera becomes an observer of their lives, revealing how they navigate the world in a way that is vastly different from the modern way of living. Inspired by the work of Vlatko Gilic, I wanted to create a film that would make the audience reflect on the value of human connection and the importance of preserving cultural traditions.

DIRECTOR’S BIO 

Sovran Nrecaj is a young filmmaker, born in 1998 in Ferizaj, Kosovo. He began his artistic career as a photographer and later developed a passion for writing and directing films. Sovran studied at Sarajevo Film Academy. His short film “Sea by the River and River by the Sea” has won several awards at international festivals. His filmmaking style is characterised by his ability to convey meaningful stories through visual storytelling, tackling important social issues in his work. Sovran Nrecaj has recently completed a short documentary “Fran and Verka; or a usual day in an abandoned village”, and currently he is working on his first feature film, “Around the River Beyond the Sea.”