The Beauty of the Donkey

A Swiss-Kosovar filmmaker named Dea returns to the village of Makermal in Kosovo alongside her father, Asllan, who spent sixty years in exile. The village was destroyed during a war, leaving behind only the memories of those who survived. Accompanied by a small film crew and remaining residents, Dea and her father search for remnants of the past while confronting the shared trauma and emotional scars of the local community.

This documentary was directed and written by Dea Gjinovci, who also served as a producer and appears in the film as herself. The cast features Asllan Gjinovci and Leart Gjinovci, as well as Aliosha Cheyko, Kit Vincent, and producer Ilir Hasanaj. The project was a multi-country production involving companies from Switzerland, Kosovo, France, and the United States, including the Sundance Institute and Haut et Court. The film has a runtime of 76 minutes and was released on May 21, 2026.