Sundance 2021: Hive
sundance 2021Blerta Basholli's feature directorial debut Hive – which is streaming as part of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival – looks to give a voice to a different perspective on the modern feminist movement. Living in a small rural village, Fahrije (Yllka Gashi) suffers deeply from systematic oppression towards women, as she is expected to live a passive life compared to that of the men around her. When her husband goes missing, however, Fahrije is given no option other than to rise against these norms to provide a life for her family as she starts her own small business.
Incredibly similar to the documentary Fadma: Even Ants Have Wings from last year, Hive is a perfect example of why world cinema is so important. The modern push for gender equality is traditionally monopolised by the developments happening in the larger sections of society without giving a voice to the smaller, more rural communities which offer their own unique stories and perspectives. If it wasn't for films like Hive, this perspective simply wouldn't be told – which clearly would be a disservice. Not only does the film validate the larger movement as it shows how momentum can carry from the large city to even the smallest of towns, but it also shows the sheer struggle it still can be for women to simply make a life for themselves.
Continually, society beats down on Fahrije, but her situation doesn't allow her to back down. She has to push forward and the film makes it clear that this wouldn't be possible without support from other women around her and the changing ideals of the world as a large. This is powerful and relevant, becoming almost instantly captivating and important. It also is nice to see a film give space to show the simple importance of things like promoting women to get driver's licenses and small things that can give them more independence and freedom. This is a big deal for the community presented within the film and speaks to an authentic truth for many women that normally are ignored or looked over.
This struggle is brought to life not just due to the film's screenplay, which also comes from Blerta Basholli, but even more so because of the performance Yllka Gashi is giving. The struggle and determination that Gashi is able to find is truly stunning. This is an inspired lead performance that sucks the audience into this character's world and drama, not letting go in the best of ways. From a technical perspective, Hive is also quite strong. The cinematography from Alex Bloom is remarkable – especially being their feature debut as a cinematographer. It carries an artistic backbone that elevates the film as a piece of art itself and helps develop its world.
The one flaw within Hive would be its pacing. Hive carries a decently confusing plot at times, as it often isn't quite clear what is happening and how certain character dynamics work with so many warring opinions and sides. It definitely doesn't kill the film or its momentum, but it does make it a bit hard to invest within the film's nuance at first and can, at times, make the 84-minute runtime feel a bit longer than it should. Still, Hive is undeniably a worthwhile viewing experience. This is an important global look at feminism and features some incredibly strong performances and filmmaking to go alongside its thematic exploration.
