Known for Acting
Set in Kosovo in 1990 at a time of political volatility as Yugoslavia is breaking apart, ERA tells the story of 17-year-old Era, a rebellious Albanian girl who has fallen in love with Betim, a man stuck between two worlds on account of his having an Albanian father and a Serbian mother. Era is forced not to see him for a while until the situation calms.
The need of belonging somewhere pushes Tana, this divorced middle aged actress, to start a procedure of returning her maiden name. Her estranged relationship with her mother makes her doubt this decision, without ever thinking how much she herself has changed, until the moment of signing.
After a year of online pillow-talk, Ben, a shy Kosovar teen, is exhilarated to finally meet his first (but secret) love, Leo. Consumed with passion, Ben carefully weaves the plans and cover-story for his much desired romantic tryst with Leo who is arriving from Germany in just one month. Everything must be perfect. Great news, Ben’s mother surprises him and the family with a life changing opportunity, but he just can’t take it yet. He must meet Leo.
After years of exile, Remo, an orphan, returns to his childhood village in the Balkans. He must help his adoptive cousin, Una, with the exhumation of a mass grave that contains most of their family members buried there during the war. But the bodies reveal family secrets that will make Remo and Una question their past and their future. A film about the possibility of truth in a place that only knows survival.
In the early '90s, the Yugoslavian Government cancelled the autonomy of Kosovo, dissolved its Parliament and closed down the National Television. All institutional life was reorganized by the new authorities, while the majority of the citizens responded with peaceful demonstrations. During this terrible time, Fadili, who works as an archivist, has to choose between two options, knowing that both of them are wrong. He therefore involuntarily and unwillingly "swallows" the shame, endures the pressure bearing down from all sides and puts up with the bad reputation for only one reason: to provide for his family.
