Dua

Dua (2026)



8.0 2026 101 min France, Kosovo, Switzerland

Director: Blerta Basholli

Cast: Pinea Matoshi, Vlera Bilalli, Kaona Sylejmani, Yllka Gashi, Kushtrim Hoxha

Drama
In the late 1990s, as ethnic conflict tightens its grip on Prishtina, Kosovo, a 13-year-old girl named Dua navigates the chaos of adolescence amid the looming threat of war. Struggling to fit in with her peers and come to terms with her evolving body, her world shatters when a violent incident rocks her community, turning her into a target. She finds an unlikely lifeline in Maki, a fearless girl who introduces her to a surprising act of defiance. Caught between everyday brutality and the shadow of forced displacement, there is barely any space left for the quiet, personal transformations of youth.

More About This Film

Dua is a coming-of-age war drama set in late-1990s Pristina, where thirteen-year-old Dua is growing up as political tensions and violence increasingly disrupt everyday life. The story follows a girl entering adolescence at a moment when childhood security is becoming difficult to preserve.

The film combines a personal coming-of-age perspective with the broader history of Kosovo, emphasizing friendship, family, courage, and resilience. Rather than treating the conflict only as historical background, it presents the period through the emotional experience of a young protagonist.

  • Blerta Basholli directed and co-wrote the film with Nicole Borgeat.
  • Pinea Matoshi plays the title character Dua.
  • The film premiered in the Critics' Week section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
  • It was selected as Kosovo's official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.
  • The film is a Kosovo, Switzerland, and France co-production.

Where to Watch

The film's theatrical and festival distribution is being followed by territory-specific digital releases.