Film Archive

Home Sweet Home

East of the West - Competition 2016 / Home Sweet Home / Kosovo, North Macedonia 2016

Agron was long considered dead. His army buddies saw him die during the Kosovo conflict, and thus his return home is beyond surprising. Joy, however, soon shifts to a consideration of practical problems, and the man is forced by a variety of circumstances to remain dead – at least officially. His home thus becomes the backdrop for a portrayal of the myriad problems facing postwar society.

Synopsis

Agron was considered dead by friends and family; indeed, there are eyewitnesses who saw him die on the battlefield during the conflict in Kosovo. So it comes as a big surprise when he suddenly turns up at the door of the house where his loved ones have finally learned to live without him. Although the welcome home is heartfelt, it is short, and emotions quickly give way to the consideration of practical problems. In terms of making a living, it would be better for the family if he remained a war victim, and so Agron is forced through the compassionate pressure of his family to suppress his existence to the point of invisibility. Home Sweet Home skillfully captures the atmosphere of postwar society without leaving, even for a moment, the cramped house where we bear witness to the drama of a man who has landed himself in an absurdly inescapable situation. In his mature debut, Faton Bajraktari employs humor and understanding to relate his tale of “self-imprisonment” as, with increasing frequency, he puts the insidious question: “Is his return home really good news?”

Anna Kořínek

About the film

90 min / Color, DCP
International premiere
Director Faton Bajraktari / Screenplay Zymber Kelmendi / Dir. of Photography Latif Hasolli / Music Darko Spasovski / Editor Blaze Dulje / Producer Trim Musliu / Production N. T. Sh Cineproduction / Coproduction Arnel Production / Cast Donat Qosja, Arta Muçaj, Shkumbin Istrefi, Lea Qosja, Susan Mustafov, Albin Bajraktari / Contact N. T. Sh Cineproduction

About the director

Faton Bajraktari (b. 1974, Kišna Reka, Kosovo) took a bachelor’s degree in film and television direction at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, University of Tetovo (2007–2011). He then earned his master’s at the University of Pristina. He shot his first short film Përpjekja in 2007; other short films followed, of which his Tri dritare (2010) won awards at numerous festivals, including Best Film at the Kosovo fest and the International Film Festival in Tirana. The movie also represented Kosovo at the Libertas Film Festival. He captured the history of Kosovo in the documentaries Gryka e Llapushnikut (2010) and Udhëtimi në thellësinë e Tokës (2010). In 2012 he made his award-winning short film Lufta, which he followed up with the medium-length Morea (2013). Bajraktari was also appointed director of the Privision children’s choir festival in 2012.