'VIRDZINA' (1991). 'A GIRL WHO BECOMES A BOY AND THEN, A WOMAN', by Katica Djurovic

Virgina tells a story from the end of 19^th century and depicts the life of people who used to live in the area of modern Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Montenegro. Over the centuries, the patriarchal culture was very strong and, as a consequence, there was a widespread belief that the families without male heir were doomed. In order to save themselves from the curse, families without sons would sometimes declare their last born daughter as a son. These girls were called 'virgina' and only their closest family knew the truth about their sex.

This is the story about a girl who was born as the fourth daughter in a family without sons, and raised as a boy called Stevan in order to save the family reputation. Stevan behaves as any other young boy in the village. He fights, works in the field and consider women as less worth than him. Approaching his puberty, Stevan realizes that something is wrong with him and tries to resist not only to the father but at the same time to 'virdzina''s tradition. Instead of living his life the way it is, Stevan decides to fight for his life and right to be a woman.

Filmed in the vast land, with nothing but rocks, Virdzina describes the harsh life of its people, their culture, tradition and superstitions, that remained the same for centuries. Sometimes it may be hard to understand, but the film is shot without exaggeration.

VIRDZINA, by Srdjan Karanovic (1991)

March 17, 5 pm

Bushuis (Room F 0.22)

Kloveniersburgwal 48

"Virgina is much like its landscape: chilly, barren and arid, but also quite beautiful in the way of something exotic seen from a great distance. Mr. Karanovic, who wrote and directed the film, tells of Stephen's increasing desperation as she tries, at her father's obsessive bidding, to be something she isn't." -- The New York Times