Alteа Lazaj Stars in Cinematic Adaptation of the Booker-Nominated Novel The film follows the character Bekia, who takes the name Matya after breaking off her wedding in the Albanian mountains, leading to her father’s death and family collapse. High in the Albanian mountains, 16-year-old Bekia is forced by her father to marry a village man, but breaks off the engagement on the night before the wedding to become a man under patriarchal laws, abandoning her female identity and taking the name Matya.
Fifteen years later, Matya travels to Bulgaria to meet her exiled brother and childhood memories in The film is an adaptation of the Booker-nominated novel “The Orphanage” by Rene Karabash. Albanian actress Alteа Lazaj stars in the lead role, admitting that she felt the part was created specifically for her despite the director initially having reservations due to her tattoos.
Transforming into a Sworn Virgin
To fully immerse herself in the role of a burnesha — a rare tradition where women live as men — Lazaj had to part with her long hair. Although the director initially felt her tattoos made her unsuitable for the main character, a recommendation from a friend who served as second assistant director led to her auditioning and ultimately securing the part.
Overcoming Challenges on Set
Aside from cutting her hair, Lazaj faced linguistic hurdles during production.
Reflecting on the emotional weight of portraying a character who denies her own self for freedom, Lazaj shared her perspective on the experience:
Every role has its difficulties, but I think that even though women may seem fragile, we carry within us the power to achieve anything we set our minds to.
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