Ferdonije Qerkezi

The film explores the issue of Ambiguous Loss through the testimony of 5 women who lost male members of their families during the war in Kosovo and suffered years of anguish searching for their remains.

"Ferdonija" follows the story of the woman from Gjakova with the same name, who lost all her family members during the war and now after a decade there is still no news about them and the circumstances of their disappearance or murder. Filmed over two years, this documentary recounts the spiritual suffering, daily challenges, stigma and social pressure that this woman experiences, and tries to shed light on the consequences that history has left on its survivors.

Four women, four heroines, who share a common fate. They have been brutally stricken by misfortune. It is not their shared past that brought them together, but it is “Hope” that keeps them alive, encouraging them to move on. “Hope” presents the different but powerful stories of Ferdonije, Auntie, Makfirete and Valentina. Although life can sometimes be very difficult, one must always try to find something to hold onto. Without hope, these four characters’ lives would have ended a long time ago. “Hope” has a power that even magic does not.