The Forgiveness of Blood deals with the little known practice of, gjakmarrja (blood feuds) in Albania. Basically, if someone is killed or otherwise severely dishonored, the only way for things to rectified between families is for someone in the family of the killer to be killed by someone in the family of the dishonored. There are, however, strict rules governing how this retaliation can be carried out (“kanun.”) That’s your necessary background info for The Forgiveness of Blood.
Nik, a teenager, leads your normal teenage life: he hangs out with his friends, he goes to parties, he flirts with girls, etc. Nik’s life becomes incredibly “unnormal” when his father and uncle accidentally(?) kill a man and go into hiding. This leaves Nik as a susceptible and acceptable target for revenge under the kanun. Nik basically has to go into self-imposed house arrest to help atone for his father’s and uncle’s sins. It is there that the boredom sets in…and then the anger…and then the resentment for being punished for a crime he didn’t commit. Nik becomes more isolated and estranged from his family as the ordeal drags on. Not only that, but he becomes frustrated at how he doesn’t even have a voice in the decisions to be made despite it being him that is suffering. His middle-school aged sister, Rudina, is forced to work to help support the family instead of going to school. The family’s youngest son refuses to speak to anyone. The pressure ratchets up significantly on everyone and the house boils over with anger despite the fact that everyone loves each other very much. It’s a fascinating film about a peculiar cultural practice, but what a film it is. Definitely worth watching.
Cinema of the World 