Focus Features Boards Goran Stolevski’s Venice-Bound ‘Housekeeping for Beginners’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Focus Features has boarded Goran Stolevski’s anticipated next project, “Housekeeping for Beginners,” ahead of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in the Horizons section.

Focus will be distributing the film in the U.S. with Universal Pictures handling international distribution (excluding Eastern Europe). “Housekeeping for Beginners” reteams Focus Features with the critically acclaimed Macedonian-Australian director following his first two films: “You Won’t Be Alone,” which premiered at Sundance in 2022 and represented Australia in the Oscar race, and his sophomore outing “Of an Age,” which kicked off Melbourne festival.

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Stolevski, who was born and raised in North Macedonia before migrating to Australia as a teenager, was featured in Variety’s annual 10 Directors to Watch list earlier this year.

Represented internationally by New Europe Film Sales, “Housekeeping for Beginners” stars Anamaria Marinca (“4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days”) as Dita, a queer woman who never wanted to be a mother and finds herself forced to her to raise her girlfriend’s two rebellious daughters, Mia and Vanesa. A battle of wills ensues as the three continue to butt heads and become an unlikely family that must fight to stay together.

The film was produced by List Production, Madants, Kinorama, Sense Production and Industria Film. Marinca stars opposite Alina Serban, Samson Selim, Vladimir Tintor, Mia Mustafa, Dzada Selim, Sara Klimoska, Rozafë Çelaj and Ajse Useini.

Film I Väst, CommonGround Pictures and Causeway Films co-produced, in association with Tango, New Europe Film Sales and the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund.

“Housekeeping for Beginners” was also backed by the North Macedonian Film Agency, Croatian Audiovisual Center, Film Center Serbia, Polish Film Institute and Kosovo Cinematography Center. Producers of the film are Marija Dimitrova, Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska, Ankica Jurić Tilić, Beata Rzeźniczek, Milan Stojanović and Blerta Basholli.

The deal was negotiated by Jan Naszewski and Katarzyna Siniarska on behalf of New Europe Film Sales.

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