"The Marriage" — Accepting the fact that I am not the groom, is he going to make up with his ex again?

After a dark historical period, Kosovo has only started to recognize LGBT rights in recent years. The Marriage (2017) is the first gay-themed that this young country has ever produced.

**Watch The Marriage now on GagaOOLala.**

Anita has been waiting for news from her parents since the war. Even though she prepared herself for the worst, it is still a tough blow when her parents' bodies are shipped from Serbia. The only happiness left in her comes from her fiance Bekim. Suddenly, Bekim's great friend who has been living abroad for a long time comes back home. The three happily reunite again. However, what Anita does not know is that Bekim and Nol were a couple but Nol had to leave his hometown because of the war. The relationship between the three soon becomes complicated, especially when Bekim realizes that Nol is still in love with him. Inevitably, the wedding banquet becomes loaded with tension when the unusual love triangle starts to unravel.

This is the first film Blerta Zeqiri wrote and directed. It showcased an excellent structure and maturity. He wittingly used the relationship between the characters as an allegory of the current situation Kosovo between different opposition parties. Unlike Anita's, Bekim's family survived the war. They are Kosovar and they should be on the feel like home. But this three way relationship is forcing him to play the opposition role, just like in the civil war.

The love between Nol and Bekim makes them freaks in the eyes of society. This could very likely be the reason why Nol left his hometown: he was hoping to leave with Bekim. However, Bekim could not abandon his family, or he could not accept the fact that he is gay. They found out that their love for each other has not changed this whole time once reunited again. Even though nowadays gay rights are protected by the law, bias and violence are still very common. Besides that, Anita and Bekim's family are other big reasons why they cannot be together.

▲Spoiler alert

Nonetheless, Bekim and Nol cannot hide the desire for each other. After Nol is beaten up by homophobes, Bekim picks him up from the hospital. Nol stays over at Bekim's place which makes the reminisce the good old days together. Regardless of the chaos outside, they are enjoying themselves singing in the room. The two are on the edge of exploding when they go back to the same place where they once made out. Nol still has a little bit of hope in their love but Bekim is stuck with his fiancé.

Nol still shows up at Bekim and Anita's wedding filled with jealousy. He was drinking away his sorrow while accepting the fact that he is not the groom. Bekim knew it would be worse for them, but he insists on sending Nol off to the airport. The two hug in a beautiful and melancholic moment. They are like the Serbians, not apart in life and death, but apart in this life.