Screening Program
Life After Enver: Albanian Cinema in the 1990s

Twenty five years after the collapse of the country’s one party system, very little is still known about Albanian cinema. During the four and a half decades of communist rule, movie makers in the Soviet-built Kinostudio complex produced 232 fiction features, thousands of documentaries, newsreels and hundreds of animated films.

With the end of the communist regime in 1991, Albanian filmmakers were suddenly granted new political discourse to openly reflect on the country’s history. Many of these directors used this opportunity to deal with the legacy of Hoxha’s dictatorship. Others brought to the screen dramatic stories of corruption and the sudden rise in criminal activity brought on by the sudden switch to market capitalism. A near civil war in 1997 nearly strangled Albanian film production entirely. Films like Vladimir Prifti’s period “Dasma e Sakos” (1998) were completed under extremely difficult circumstances. Consisting of short and feature length films, animation and documentary, this screening program offers a glimpse into a nation tackling with its upsetting past and its continued impact on the present.Organized within the framework of the joint cultural calendar between Albania and Kosovo, in collaboration with the Central State Film Archive in Albania.

This film program was made possible with the financial support of the European Union, within the project ‘Cultural Spaces of Kosova’ implemented by Anibar, Lumbardhi, 7Arte, and Pogon. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Lumbardhi and the Central State Film Archive of Albania and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.All screenings are free and shown in their original language with English subtitles.

PROGRA, MAY 4, SATURDAY, 21:00
“Things That Don’t Change” (1993), 3’
Director: Stefan Taçi

“The Fall of Idols” (1992), 19’
Director: Kujtim Gjonaj

“The Death of the Horse” (1995), 80’
Director: Saimir Kumbaro

MAY 8, WEDNESDAY, 21:00
Albanian Animation Highlights of the 1990s, 68’
“Nostalgia” (1992), Stefan Taci
“The Last Song” (1990), Artan Maku
“The Dream That You Can’t Kill” (1990), Robert Qafzezi
“Wolf, Wolf” (1992), Artur Dauti
“Composition” (1992), Stefan Taci
“A Cap for your Head” (1997), Shaqir Veseli
“The Dead and the Living” (1994), Albert Malltezi
“Consensus” (1998), Artur Dauti
“The Devil’s Game” (1999), Rikarda Nova, Ergys Faja
“Sizifiane” (1995), Stefan Taci
“Capricio”, Albert Malltezi

MAY 11, SATURDAY, 21:00
“Towards Europe” (1992), 10’
Director: Kujtim Gjonaj

“The Pillager” (1995), 85’
Director: Spartak Pecani

MAY 15, WEDNESDAY, 21:00
“Ballad of the Woodchopper” (1997), 6’
Director: Leonard Dori

“Sako’s Wedding] (1998), 100’
Director: Vladimir Prifti

MAY 18, SATURDAY, 21:00
“Biba” (1994), 5’
Director: Shaqir Veseli

“GJYQI” (1993), 15’
Director: Ilia Dede

“Bolero” (1997), 95’
Director: Besnik Bisha

MAY 22, WEDNESDAY, 21:00
“Kinostudio” (1991), 8’
Director: Petrit Beci

“Fantazisti” (1990), 4’
Director: Stefan Taçi

“Pirate’s Cave” (1990), 74’
Director: Eduart Makria