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| image =Mirkaposter1.jpg
| image =Mirkaposter1.jpg
| caption = Promotional poster
| caption = Promotional poster
| director = Rachid Benhadj
| director = [[Rachid Benhadj]]
| producer = Piero Amati
| producer = Piero Amati
| writer = Rachid Benhadj
| writer = Rachid Benhadj
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| cinematography = [[Vittorio Storaro]]
| cinematography = [[Vittorio Storaro]]
| editing = Anna Rosa Napoli
| editing = Anna Rosa Napoli
| distributor =
| distributor = Mikado film
| released = '''[[Italy]]'''<br/>10 March 2000<br/>'''[[Spain]]'''<br/>9 June 2000
| released = {{film date|2000|3|10|Italy|2000|6|9|Spain|df=y}}
| runtime = 107 min
| runtime = 107 minutes
| country = Italy<br/>France<br/>Spain
| country = Italy<br/>France<br/>Spain
| language = [[Italian language|Italian]]
| language = [[Italian language|Italian]]
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| gross =
| gross =
}}
}}
'''''Mirka''''' is a 2000 [[Cinema of Italy|Italian]] [[drama film]] starring [[Vanessa Redgrave]] and [[Gérard Depardieu]]. It was written and directed by Rachid Benhadj. It was released in Italy on 10 March 2000 and received its international premiere at the [[Thessaloniki International Film Festival]] on 21 November 2005.
'''''Mirka''''' is a 2000 [[drama film]] starring [[Vanessa Redgrave]] and [[Gérard Depardieu]]. The international co-production was written and directed by [[Algeria]]n-born filmmaker [[Rachid Benhadj]]. Although countries are unnamed, several publications make reference to the film as a document of [[Bosnian Genocide]].<ref name=ita/> It was released in Italy on 10 March 2000 and received its international premiere at the [[Thessaloniki International Film Festival]] on 21 November 2005.

==Plot==
==Plot==
A child arrives in a small Italian village searching for his mother, he is befriended by Strix (Depardieu) who promises to help. Kalsan (Redgrave) is surprised at the sudden arrival of Mirka, who claims to be her grandson. It is at Kalsan's house that Mirka meets his mother, Elena. It soon emerges that Mirka is Elena's war-time child that she believed dead.<ref>[http://www.film.com/movies/mirka/14703338 Mirka] Film.com. Retrieved on 4 September 2010</ref>
Mirka is searching for his mother in an unidentified [[Balkan]] nation, he is befriended by Strix (Depardieu) who promises to help. Kalsan (Redgrave) is surprised at the sudden arrival of Mirka, a foreign child in her midst. In a turn of events, it emerges that he is her great-grandson. Unlike the villagers that participated in a silent [[infanticide]] against ethnic rape children, Kalsan saved Mirka and took him to a city orphanage. The tragic story is unveiled by Kalsan's niece, Elena who became pregnant with Mirka after being the victim of an ethnic [[war rape]]. Elena has long believed her child to be dead so his appearance shakes the fabric of the household.<ref>[http://www.film.com/movies/mirka/14703338 Mirka] Film.com. Retrieved on 4 September 2010</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080524015345/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/193551/Mirka/overview Mirka (2000)] New York Times. Retrieved on 4 September 2010</ref> Mirka's ethnicity leads to his persecution by the villagers.<ref name=pc>{{cite book|year=2005|first=Roy|last=Armes|title=Postcolonial images: studies in North African film|publisher=Indiana University Press}}</ref>

==Cast==
==Cast==
*[[Vanessa Redgrave]] as Kalsan
*[[Vanessa Redgrave]] as Kalsan
*[[Gérard Depardieu]] as Strix
*[[Gérard Depardieu]] as Strix
*Karim Benhadj as Mirka
*Karim Benhadj as Mirka
*[[Barbora Bobulova]] as Elena
*[[Barbora Bobuľová]] as Elena
*[[Sergio Rubini]] as Helmut
*[[Sergio Rubini]] as Helmut
*Michele Melega as Tico
*Michele Melega as Tico
*[[Franco Nero]]
*[[Franco Nero]]
*Arnaldo Ninchi
*[[Arnaldo Ninchi]]
*Sandro Dori
*Sandro Dori


==Production==
==Production==
The Italian-French-Spanish co-production was shot in 1999 in [[Trentino-Alto Adige]].
The Italian-French-Spanish co-production was shot in 1999 in [[Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol]].

The director, Rachid Benhadj cast his son, Karim in the titular role. The film also received funding from the Italian government and the Euroimages Fund of the [[Council of Europe]].<ref>[http://www.iann.it/film/Critiche.asp?IdFilm=2170 Mirka] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120803044713/http://www.iann.it/film/Critiche.asp?IdFilm=2170 |date=2012-08-03 }} il Giornale. 19 March 2000. '''Italian'''</ref>

Benhadj described his reasoning for the narrative, "History repeats itself against women. They are victims of violence and rape in war and in emergency situations".<ref name=ita>{{cite book|year=2005|first=Graziella|last=Parati|title=Migration Italy: the art of talking back in a destination culture |publisher=University of Toronto Press}}</ref>

==Reception==
Alberto Crespi of ''[[l'Unità]]'' described the film as "timeless", enforcing that the strength of the film lies in the violent nature of the circumstances. The newspaper felt that some of the international casting was unsettling but felt Redgrave gave a good performance. Although Crespi felt Bobuľová was perfectly cast in the role of Elena. He also praised Benhadj's "intense" performance as the titular character and described it as a "generous" film.<ref>[http://www.iann.it/film/Critiche.asp?IdFilm=2170 Mirka] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120803044713/http://www.iann.it/film/Critiche.asp?IdFilm=2170 |date=2012-08-03 }} l'Unità. 11 March 2000. '''Italian'''</ref>

Roberto Nepoti of ''[[la Repubblica]]'' said it was the first film to show how ethnic rape is used as a weapon to "pollute" a biological race and ensure the dominance of another. Nepoti praised Redgrave's "committed" performance, mirroring her real-life battles in defence of civilization. He continued to praise the casting of Bobuľová, Benhadj and Rubini as well as the cinematography of Storato. He also praised the director for going against the traditional mould of Yugoslavian war films, and instead creating a more universal film.<ref>[http://www.iann.it/film/Critiche.asp?IdFilm=2170 Mirka] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120803044713/http://www.iann.it/film/Critiche.asp?IdFilm=2170 |date=2012-08-03 }} la Repubblica. 19 March 2000. '''Italian'''</ref>

==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* {{imdb title|id=0174027|title=Mirka (2000)}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0174027|title=Mirka (2000)}}

{{CinemaofItaly}}


[[Category:Italian-language films]]
[[Category:2000s Italian-language films]]
[[Category:2000s drama films]]
[[Category:2000 drama films]]
[[Category:Italian films]]
[[Category:2000 films]]
[[Category:Italian drama films]]
[[Category:Italian drama films]]
[[Category:Films about race and ethnicity]]
[[Category:Films shot in Italy]]
[[Category:Films shot in Italy]]

Latest revision as of 08:21, 4 June 2024

Mirka
Promotional poster
Directed byRachid Benhadj
Written byRachid Benhadj
Produced byPiero Amati
StarringVanessa Redgrave
Gérard Depardieu
Sergio Rubini
Franco Nero
CinematographyVittorio Storaro
Edited byAnna Rosa Napoli
Distributed byMikado film
Release dates
  • 10 March 2000 (2000-03-10) (Italy)
  • 9 June 2000 (2000-06-09) (Spain)
Running time
107 minutes
CountriesItaly
France
Spain
LanguageItalian

Mirka is a 2000 drama film starring Vanessa Redgrave and Gérard Depardieu. The international co-production was written and directed by Algerian-born filmmaker Rachid Benhadj. Although countries are unnamed, several publications make reference to the film as a document of Bosnian Genocide.[1] It was released in Italy on 10 March 2000 and received its international premiere at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival on 21 November 2005.

Plot

[edit]

Mirka is searching for his mother in an unidentified Balkan nation, he is befriended by Strix (Depardieu) who promises to help. Kalsan (Redgrave) is surprised at the sudden arrival of Mirka, a foreign child in her midst. In a turn of events, it emerges that he is her great-grandson. Unlike the villagers that participated in a silent infanticide against ethnic rape children, Kalsan saved Mirka and took him to a city orphanage. The tragic story is unveiled by Kalsan's niece, Elena who became pregnant with Mirka after being the victim of an ethnic war rape. Elena has long believed her child to be dead so his appearance shakes the fabric of the household.[2][3] Mirka's ethnicity leads to his persecution by the villagers.[4]

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

The Italian-French-Spanish co-production was shot in 1999 in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.

The director, Rachid Benhadj cast his son, Karim in the titular role. The film also received funding from the Italian government and the Euroimages Fund of the Council of Europe.[5]

Benhadj described his reasoning for the narrative, "History repeats itself against women. They are victims of violence and rape in war and in emergency situations".[1]

Reception

[edit]

Alberto Crespi of l'Unità described the film as "timeless", enforcing that the strength of the film lies in the violent nature of the circumstances. The newspaper felt that some of the international casting was unsettling but felt Redgrave gave a good performance. Although Crespi felt Bobuľová was perfectly cast in the role of Elena. He also praised Benhadj's "intense" performance as the titular character and described it as a "generous" film.[6]

Roberto Nepoti of la Repubblica said it was the first film to show how ethnic rape is used as a weapon to "pollute" a biological race and ensure the dominance of another. Nepoti praised Redgrave's "committed" performance, mirroring her real-life battles in defence of civilization. He continued to praise the casting of Bobuľová, Benhadj and Rubini as well as the cinematography of Storato. He also praised the director for going against the traditional mould of Yugoslavian war films, and instead creating a more universal film.[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Parati, Graziella (2005). Migration Italy: the art of talking back in a destination culture. University of Toronto Press.
  2. ^ Mirka Film.com. Retrieved on 4 September 2010
  3. ^ Mirka (2000) New York Times. Retrieved on 4 September 2010
  4. ^ Armes, Roy (2005). Postcolonial images: studies in North African film. Indiana University Press.
  5. ^ Mirka Archived 2012-08-03 at archive.today il Giornale. 19 March 2000. Italian
  6. ^ Mirka Archived 2012-08-03 at archive.today l'Unità. 11 March 2000. Italian
  7. ^ Mirka Archived 2012-08-03 at archive.today la Repubblica. 19 March 2000. Italian
[edit]
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