PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Norika Sefa, director of the film Looking for Venera.
A conversation with Norika Sefa, director of Looking for Venera, winner of a Special Jury Prize at the 2021 International Film Festival Rotterdam. This movie is a coming-of-age drama about a young girl’s growing desire for freedom and independence, set in a small town in Kosovo. It is also Norika Sefa’s feature debut. In this interview, we talk about her interest in the distinctive setting of the story, how she worked with her young cast and also how FirstCutLab helped her movie come to life.
Looking for Venera: Calm, taciturn teenager Venera lives in a small village in Kosovo. At home, three generations are constantly under one another’s feet in their cramped house, so she has hardly any privacy. Outside too, on the streets and in the café, it’s not much better: the village is small and there’s always a brother, nephew or neighbour keeping a beady eye on her. A girl is expected above all else to protect her good reputation – and that of her family.