Compelling, surprising and tenderly performed, this melancholy drama illustrates the complicated relationship Albanians have with their dark past. Set in the country’s isolated marshlands, the cleverly constructed film offers a multi-layered slice of life, and like the swampy ground on which it is set, gradually reveals unexpected depths.
The title translates as “the world,” which is the name of the café-bar where most of the action unfolds. Perched on stilts, with a dilapidated Mercedes on the roof, and mint-green walls full of original artwork, Bota is the spot where the hopes and dreams of the three main characters are revealed—and often dashed.