HOUSE WITH A VOICE (German Title: WO/MEN)
Documentary, 87 mins, Germany, 2024
HOUSE WITH A VOICE is about six women in a patriarchal society, about six different life stories and one mutual decision: giving up femininity and living as men to gain a voice, to experience personal freedom and to fight for equality. To be a real Burrnesha.
The film tells the story of six Burrneshas who, for different reasons, have decided to take on the social role of men. They have done this to circumvent patriarchal structures, to avoid misogynistic attacks, to support the family economically, to avoid compelled marriage and to be free. Our characters communicate with us intimately as they talk about their lives and bring us closely into their personal journey. They speak about freedom and oppression, about the promise of sacrificing their lives for the sake of their families’ survival. But also about the breaking of gender barriers and the power of the human mind to decide who we want to be.
HOUSE WITH A VOICE stereotypes and projections of gender discussions upside down. The Burrneshas expand our awareness of human life and its universal conditions but in the end their story shows that the essences of life, which are identified as female, are held as less valuable, even less worth living. And that this remains so, worldwide.
with Marta Vorfi, Sanie Vatoci, Bedrie Brahim Gosturani, Diana Rakipi, Valerjana Grishaj, Gjystina Grishaj e.g.
directed by: Kristine Nrecaj, Birthe Templin
produced by: Katrin Springer
Editor: Evelyn Rack
Kamera: Alfred Nrecaj
Sound Recordist: Arne Herrmann, Adrian Guri
Composition: Nico Pavlovic, André Feldhaus, Alfred Nrecaj, Arne Herrmann
Filmmusic: Jean-Michel Blais, Elina Duni, Muharrem Gurra
Sound Design: Mixing: Anders Wasserfall
Color Grading: Andreas Hellmanzik
Assistant Editor: Roee Belazel
VFX/Titles: Stefan Otterpohl
Accessible Version: Kathy Hellmanzik
2nd Unit: Adrian Guri, Denald Grepcka
Drone: Alfred Nrecaj, Adrian Guri
2nd Unit Assistant: Nikolaj Nrecaj
Production Consultant: Ruoyao Jane Yao
Assistant Producer Prep: Lisa Bayer
Production Assistant: Vanesa Hadergjonaj, Laura Berking
Writer: Kristine Nrecaj
Co-Writer: Birthe Templin
Production Company: Filmkantine UG
Nominated for the 2014 Robert Bosch Film Prize Germany Eastern Europe.
The production of the film was financially supported by Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM), German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), nordmedia – Film- und Mediengesellschaft Niedersachsen/Bremen mbH, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, CineComplete Postproduction, and Stone Circle and produced in Association with YLE Sari Volanen. The project development was financially supported by German Federal Film Board (FFA).
missingFILMs will release WO/MEN in German cinemas on 15 May 2025. Here you can find all dates.
World Sales: Stranger Film Sales, Tijana Djukic (hello@strangerfilmssales.com)