Discoveries from Albania World Cinema

A general and an Italian priest arrive in Albania to retrieve the bones of the soldiers who were killed during the war.

The events of the film happen in a huge industrial complex. A huge explosion interrupts an experiment. Engineer Genci, who was responsible for this experiment, discovers that the explosion was not an accident, but an act of sabotage.

Dear Enemy tells the true story of the director’s grandfather who became friends with a German officer during the WWII German occupation of Albania while hiding a partisan, an Italian soldier and a Jewish watchmaker in his cellar.

A film set during World War II - a small partisan unit must ambush a German convoy.

World War II - a famous warrior and a villager face the destruction of their village and heroically lead the people in a rebellion.

Jani Budi, 60s, after serving a sentence, was released from prison in Ancona and embarks on a ship to return to his country of origin, Albania. Arriving in Tirana he discovers the shocking truth: his wife died shortly after his arrest, and his son, Andi, has become politically corrupt. The film is a combination of drama and comedy that scans Albania today and human relations.

Albania and neighboring Yugoslavia officially broke ties in 1948. But in 1971, the Hoxha regime was honored to welcome the ethnic Albanian actor Bekim Fehmiu (1936-2010), at the time an international star in Yugoslav theater and film. Before his trip to Albania, Fehmiu had appeared in the popular Italian television smash The Odyssey (1968) and the Cannes-winning I Even Met Happy Gypsies (1967). Dokufest will also feature a photo exhibit of recently-discovered still images taken during Bekim Fehmiu’s Albanian visit.

Based on the works of Sterjo Spasse. Kujtim Morava goes to work in a remote village. He assists in the destruction of churches and mosques since they spread a regressive mentality.

The story of Viktor Stratoberdha (1921-1991) mirrors many of Albania’s tragedies. Stradoberdha’s humorous, buoyant style led him to be one of the country’s most promising filmmakers. But after being denounced in 1956, he was expelled from the Kinostudio and sent into internal exile. In 1967, Stratoberdha directed a local theater play in which the economic five year plan was placed in a coffin. He was then jailed for the next two decades. Urime Shokë Studentë! is one of the surviving documentaries of Viktor Stratoberdha’s all too short career.

The events of film take place in the first days of May 1942 when Albania was under fascist occupation.The enemy is trying by all means to discover the leadership of the Communist Party of Albania wipe it out along with the people's National Liberation Movement. In this grave situation,the communists are faced with counter attack. The film reflects the stormy days of war, the ferocity of the enemy and the strength of the Party and the people who remain undaunted by terror and violence.

Destinies of two friends-fighters during WW2.

In the north of communist Albania, in an isolated mountain village, the life of a family will change forever. Patriarchal norms and traditions have transformed the inhabitants. Shpresa, only 17-year-old, suddenly reveals she is pregnant from a secret love affair. Shpresa's mom does her best to stop her daughter in giving birth to this baby. Sokol, Shpresa's father, unaware of his daughter's pregnancy, asks for the help of the village nurse, Theresa, as he thinks Shpresa is severely ill. The girl's mother puts the nurse ahead of an accomplished fact, to abort the child, who would permanently stain the family with shame, even if it risked her daughter's life.

Adrian Paci’s sensitive gaze enters an aluminum transformation plant to explore the relationship between the workers’ bodies and the factory environment, celebrating the enduring value of labour. Through meticulous observation and perfectly composed framing, Merging Bodies delves into gestures and materials that blur the boundaries between the workers and the machinery. Paci’s hypnotic camera captures details that transcend the immediate context, liberating the visible from a singular interpretation.

The calm and ordinary life of a forgotten village is disturbed with the arrival of three prostitutes in the village’s bar, owned by two pimp brothers. The men, despite the efforts of their wives to stop them, spend all their time in the village’s bar, spending their last money on alcohol and sex. Chaos overcomes the village school; its devotees abandon the mosque. Only two youngsters benefit from all this mayhem, by realizing their love affair, forbidden by their parents. At the end, the women start upraising. Consequently, the bar is burnt down and the village looks that it will return to normality.

After World War II, more than 85% of the Albanian people were illiterate. Partisan soldier Dritan Shkaba is tasked with opening new schools in north Albania to enlighten the population.

A spectacle featuring the children of the puppet theater.

A sad love story between Agron and Lena will be the next story that grandfather Beni will tell to his niece Rona.

Six alternative rock bands discuss life in UN-administered Kosovo five years after the NATO intervention, reflecting on issues from ethnic tension in the region to the popularity of turbo-folk.

A comedy known and loved by all, under the interpretation of the most famous actors of the Albanian National Theatre.

The Albanian people mourn the death of Stalin.

The dream of a man whose old age has forced him to retreat to the life he once lived. He feels that society doesn't appreciate him for what he is, so he starts living in his memories and departs from reality once and for all.

The events take place in the marsh of Nusekana, where a legend is also set. In this place, two students of agronomy, Eda and Bora come to carry out their learning practice. The passion for the profession makes the girls adapt with the new environment. Between Bora and Fani starts to grow the passion of love.

Sokol is a middle-aged Kosovar Albanian who, together with his family, emigrates from Kosovo to Turkey, and faces the foreign and unknown world. After some time he becomes homesick, eventually leaving his last will he gave to his son that when he dies, his bones will be returned to his native country. He dies near of a cliff at the Black Sea coast. In his native village, the news that Sokol has been returned from emigration are being spread.

A young man enters a subway station, which is filled with posters and advertisements of beautiful men and women. Descending the stairs, he is plunged into a world he cannot control and finds himself on a strange path that leads to a chase through empty carriages, full of whispers and shadows in half-lit stations.

Northern Albania, 1911. Bali marries Bardha, who is betrothed to Sokol Dema, currently imprisoned by the Turks. Bardha tells this to Bali on the first night of their marriage and puts him in a dilemma: he should either kill Bardha due to the laws of the land, or send her to the parents of Sokol Dema.

World War II. Italians accuse the residents of a village in South Albania of giving signals to the Greeks during the Greek-Italian War.

After World War II, the communist party of Albania must rebuild the country and implement the agrarian reform.

Three friends, Fred, Aleko and Pertef, go hunting. Somebody accidentally shoots at Pertef and kills him, and nobody knows who the murderer is.

Taulant is a 4 year old only child, who is lonesome and wants a sister. However, despite his request, his parents keep ignoring him. Slowly, his parents start listening to him more and decide to consider his request more seriously.

Tirana’s second biggest stadium is a socialist relic past its prime that has failed to keep up with the surrounding world. It rests in a state of limbo, silent and timeless. Built with over a million point clouds after scanning the entire stadium, this posthumanist film-poem is the result of a first contact with the perennial wildflowers that had sprouted in the abandoned fields of the stadium.

Deda, an enthusiastic young worker, is trying to fix a cut telephone line during the harsh winter, so that people can wish each other a happy New Year.

Kujtim works as a car mechanic. He makes a mistake and does not fix the brakes of a truck properly, which leads to a deadly accident. He feels guilty, but is unable to admit his mistake.

The foreign representatives of the Rubik mine come from Tirana and Italy to suppress the revolt of the indignant miners.

The story follows the Kosovar partisan hero known as Lisi (Oak), from WWII days, subsequent liberation, until mid-1960s. Lisi was a brave warrior, yet he and his generation remains largely uneducated. However his nephew starts as a courier, and becomes doctor afterwards.

Set in an area between the Yugoslavia and Albanian border in the year 1968, an idealist teacher wants to cross the border to Albania, where he believes he will find a state of ideal communism.

Rikard, after being swindled out of his home by his own son, relies on the kindness of his daughter, Ema, and her husband, Lorenc who offer him a cabin dwelling in the 'Accursed Mountains.'

Biopic about the Albanian writer Migjeni.

The film unfolds the reality in a communist country in the 1970s through the eyes and wise ways of an ordinary gypsy. The events take place in a small town in Albania. Besides the well-organized civilized life, a strange Gypsy community is settled in the town. The calm flow of their life is troubled by the birth of a child. The son, who is the ninth child in this Gypsy family, will bring joy not only to his family, but to the entire gypsy community. What could possibly trouble the strong communist establishment of the time? A child is born but not an ordinary one. His name is Mao Tse Tung. A gypsy Mao Tse Tung in the 1970s.

In the family of Kozma Selita, everyone is fond of their work. Mom Vita is a tailor, his elder son Xhoxhi works at the oil refinery, Aurora is a pharmacist and Vaso works at the oil well. Flonja loves Vaso and wants him to quit his job at the oil well, but he loves his job and cannot accept that.

After his father is killed, a young boy decides to join the partisans and fight in the war.

Three years after the fascist occupation, a group of children create the anti-fascist organization called "Debatik". Coli, an orphan boy, manages to become a member.

Early years after the war. The bourgeoisie is falling, and they are being taxed for their profits during WWII. Abdyl is an accountt who helps the bourgeoisie and fascist collaborators by hiding their gold in his home and manipulating documents.

After living in various European cities, militant Besim Pepa comes back in Albania during the years 1932-1936. Here, he is persecuted and imprisoned, so he has to emigrate again.

Film about enemy agents trying to infiltrate the Albanian military.

Spectacular film by successful director Dhimitër Anagnosti. Three people, Sergeant Rahmiu (Ndrek Luca), Islam (Reshat Arbana), and Bepini (Bujar Kapexhiu) hijack a military ship to emigrate to Italy. Along the way they encounter opposition in the sailor Skender Guri (Rikard Ljarja), who wants to turn the ship back to Albania. 4 people representing different layers of the postwar Albanian society merge and collide offshore, unfolding the political conflicts of that era.

A young man named Flori leaves his family in Tirana to chase a better future, forming a brief romance with a radio host before emigrating in search of opportunity. His dreams collapse as he becomes entangled in organized crime, turning his journey into a stark portrait of disillusionment and hardship in Albania.

Jeta is a student who is a member of the illegals and tries to create a group of antifascist girls in her school.

On the biggest television in the country, Jora is in competition with Klara, another television producer, and both are willing to do anything to win the project, even with a shot under the belt.

Story about local fruitcake who keeps being assured in human callousness.

Agron is a circus clown who is hassled by the circus animals. Shemshedin thinks they should send these animals away, and so many hilarious situations ensue.

Agron, a new chairman of the district executive committee, feels encircled by authority of his mother in law, Frosa and some relatives and friends, which want to make use of Agron's position for their own interests.

Two young people, Ardi and Rina, like each other. They are at the very first steps as adults in their lives. The film deals with social problems and the role of the society in the education of the youth.

On October 14, 2014, the two Eastern European countries of Albania and Serbia faced off on the soccer field in the Serbian capital of Belgrade. With Albanian fans not permitted to attend the game due to purported safety concerns, the stadium full of Serbian fans echoed racist chants and death threats. Tensions rose to a boil when a drone carrying an Albanian flag flew above the players and onto the field. Angered fans rushed the field, attacking the Albanian players, forcing the match to end. A history of political tensions, war, and sport is explored as we follow the journey of the Albanian national team on their first appearance in a major tournament.

In 1990, at the dawn of the political events that changed the map of Europe, a little girl, in the Eastern Block, waits impatiently for the return of her mother, from a secret space mission. Or, that's what her father tells her .

The movie brings closer the life of Albanian youth and the drug problem. It focuses on a relationship of teen girl from a well educated family and a heroin addict, mirroring of Albanian life after a very troubled decade.

After becoming 12 years old, little Asime is forced to stay inside the house. her family betroths her to a boy she doesn't know. After a wounded partisan stays in her house, Asime decides to become a partisan as well.

Todri, a patriotic teacher, returns in his homeland to bring the Albanian letters.