PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Marija Zidar, director of the documentary Reconciliation.

To listen to the interview, click on the ► icon on the right, just above the picture

A chat with Marija Zidar, director of the documentary feature Reconciliation about a blood feud between two sides of one family in the Albanian Highlands. The film was selected as part of this year’s edition of EFP’s EUROPE! Voices of Women in Film showcase at the Sydney Film Festival. In this interview, Zidar discusses her feature film debut, referring to her background in journalism. She also talks about connecting with the cultural context and traditions that she explores in Reconciliation, establishing a relationship with the protagonists of her documentary and more.

Reconciliation : An 18-year-old woman is killed by a bullet intended for her father. It is the tragic outcome of a bitter family feud. Her father’s cousin is found guilty by Albania’s judicial system and is serving a jail term for her murder. However, under the country’s ancient code of law (the Kanun), her father is entitled to take blood revenge. Religious and legal authorities, each with their own agenda, try to sway his decision. Marija Zidar’s epic documentary was filmed over five years in Albania’s mountainous north.