Snajka: Diary of Expectations

Love tested by tradition, family duty, and inherited expectations

Snajka: Diary of Expectations is a deeply personal documentary film by Tea Vidović Dalipi, filmed over a period of ten years and rooted in the lived experience of its author. The film observes the relationship between Tea, a Croatian woman, and Mirsad, a Roma man from Kosovo, as they attempt to build a shared life while carrying the weight of radically different family traditions, social expectations, and economic realities.

From the very beginning, their love is shaped and scrutinised by their families, whose value systems often clash. Questions of marriage, gender roles, money, and tradition become unavoidable, especially with the birth of their daughter Frida. What should be private choices turn into collective negotiations, exposing the couple to disappointment, pressure, and emotional strain.

Using a participative and observational approach, the film reveals everyday rituals, unspoken rules, and inherited stereotypes that define both families. Without commentary or judgement, it exposes cultural racism, generational trauma, and the silent compromises that intimacy demands. Tea and Mirsad try to remain loyal children to their parents while becoming free and open minded parents themselves, an ambition that often proves painfully contradictory.

Filmed between Croatia and Kosovo, Snajka: Diary of Expectations becomes a universal portrait of love under pressure. It is a reflection on identity, belonging, and the cost of trying to honour family expectations without losing oneself in the process.