directed by Edon Rizvanolli, drama, 85 min, eng subtitles, 16+
written by Edon Rizvanolli
with Adriana Matoshi, Jason de Ridder, Niki Verkaar
Set in Amsterdam, Unwanted is a social drama delving into the harsh consequences of and damage caused by the war in Kosovo. A debut by a Kosovo-born film director currently living in the Netherlands examines acceptance of others and the identity of second-generation migrants living in Western Europe. Alban is a troublemaker and a misfit who often ends up in fights with other kids. But he is also a dreamer and spends a lot of his time alone. His mother Zana is a war refugee from Kosovo whose main worry is to bring food to the table. One day, Alban encounters Ana, whose father is a Serb from Kosovo. The fact that Albanians and Serbs were at war has no special importance for them. After all, they both feel Dutch. Zana, however, has a completely different perspective on their relationship. Soon the traumas caused by the war, which his mother initially hides away from him, turn Alban's world upside down.