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Cinema of Albania

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The film industry in Albania comprises the art of films and movies made within the country or by Albanian directors abroad. Albania has had an active cinema industry since 1897 and began strong activities in 1940 after the foundation of both the "Kinostudio Shqipëria e Re" and National Center of Cinematography in Tirana.[1][2]

Merita Sokoli is regarded as the first female actor in Albanian cinema.

In consideration to the Albanian diaspora, there are several internationally renowned actors such as the Albanian-Americans Eliza Dushku, Klement Tinaj, Masiela Lusha, Jim and John Belushi, Kosovo-Albanians Bekim Fehmiu and Arta Dobroshi and Turkish-Albanian Barish Arduç.

Albania annually hosts several International Film Festivals. The most important is certainly the Tirana International Film Festival, which takes place in the capital of Tirana. Born in 2008, the Durrës International Film Festival is also among the most prominent exhibitions held in summer at the Amphitheatre of Durrës.

History

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Foundation

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Films were first shown in Albania starting in 1897, as part of travelling shows and to aristocrats. Kolë Idromeno, a photographer, started showing films in 1908 or 1909, and is regarded as the first Albanian to do so by the National Center of Cinematography.[3][4] The Charles Urban Trading Company shot films in Albania from between 1902 and the Balkan Wars.[5] Albert Kahn's ethnographical footage from 1912 was among the first films shot in Albania.[6]

On 10 September 1942, Benito Mussolini ordered the creation of the Tomorri Society, which would make films in Albania. Mihallaq Mone, who studied at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, was its director.[7] One of the first Albanian films shot with an Albanian cast was the short film Encounter at the Lake (Takim në liqen) from 1943.[8] Mone left Albania in 1945, and spent the remainder of his life in the United States.[9]

Communist

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The Central State Film Archive reported that 286 films were made in the communist period.[10] Abaz Hoxha [sq] stated that 103 films were produced between 1978 and 1984,[11] and 86 films were produced between 1985 and 1991.[12]

In 1946, Italian films accounted for a plurality of films shown in Albania and still accounted for one-third of foreign films shown in 1955.[13] Albania started importing films from the Soviet Union in the 1950s. 21 feature films and 87 documentaries were imported in 1951, and 9 feature films and 77 documentaries were imported in 1952.[14]

The National Filmmaking Enterprise was formed in 1947, and started producing newsreels and documentaries. The Great Warrior Skanderbeg, a Soviet-Albanian coproduction, was released in 1953.[4][15] In 1950, Jani Nano, Mihal Çarka, Koço Tollko, Petraq Lubonja, Endri Keko, and Xhanfise Keko were sent to study for two years at the Moscow Central Studio for Documentary Film.[16] Keko was one of the few female directors in the communist period.[17]

The New Albania Kinostudio was opened on 10 July 1952, and started producing newsreels and short films. It was Albania's only film studio under communist rule.[18][15] Kristaq Dhamo's 1958 film Tana was Kinostudio's first feature-length film and is regarded as the first one in Albanian history.[19][4]

In 1952, Daughters of China (Zhong Hua nu er) became the first Chinese film shown in Albania.[13] The Sino-Albanian Cultural Cooperation Agreement was signed on 14 October 1954.[20] Forward, Side by Side (Krah pёr krah/Bing jian qianjin), the first Sino-Albanian coproduction, was directed by Endri Keko and Hao Yusheng in 1964.[21]

Filmmaker Viktor Stratoberdha [sq] was imprisoned between 1956 and 1990.[22]

There were 33 cinemas in Albania in 1945, with around 7,000 seats.[23] The number of cinemas rose from 35 in 1950, to 72 in 1960, and 105 in 1973.[24] The Albanian National Film Festival was held eight times between 1976 and 2001.[11]

Modern

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Kinostudio closed in 1991,[25] and was split into Albafilm, Albafilm Distribution, Albafilm Animation, and the Albanian State Film Archive.[26] The Tirana International Film Festival was launched in 2003.[27]

Kujtim Çashku established Academy of Film and Multimedia Marubi (Akademia e Filmit e Multimedias Marubi), the first private film school in the country, in 2004.[28]

The Institute for the Study of Communist Crimes and Consequences proposed banning showings of Kinostudio films in 2017.[29]

Erenik Beqiri's The Van was nominated for the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, the first time an Albanian production was represented at Cannes since 1954.[30]

Notable Albanian Films

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Title Translation Year Genre
Bijtë e shqipës së Skënderbeut The sons of Skanderbeg's Albania 1941 Documentary short
Luftëtari i madh i Shqipërisë Skënderbeu The Great Albanian Warrior Skanderbeg 1953 Epic war
Fëmijët e saj Her Children 1957 Drama
Tana Tana 1958 Drama
Vitet e para The First Years 1965 Historic war
Prita The Trap 1968 War
I teti në bronx The Father in Bronze 1970
Mëngjese lufte Mornings of War 1971 Coming of age
Malet me blerim mbuluar The Mountains Covered in Tulips 1971
Yjet e netëve të gjata The Stars of the Long Nights 1972 Drama
Operacioni zjarri Operation Fire 1973 War comedy
Rrugicat që kërkonin diell The Alleys That Sought Sunlight 1975 Drama
Beni ecën vetë Beni Walks on His Own 1975 Comedy
Zonja nga qyteti The Lady from the City 1976 Comedy
Lulëkuqet mbi mure Red Poppies on Walls 1976 Coming of age drama
Përballimi The Confrontation 1976
Njeriu me top The Man with the Cannon 1977
Tomka dhe shokët e tij Tomka and His Friends 1977 Coming of age
Gjeneral Gramafoni The General Gramophone 1978 Drama
Liri a vdekje Freedom or Death 1979 Historic
Nëntori i Dytë The Second November 1983
Të paftuarit The Uninvited 1985 Psychological
Një jetë më shumë One More Life 1986
Përrallë nga e kaluara A Tale from the Past 1987 Comedy
Këmishët ne dyllë The Cloaks in Wax 1987
Rojet e mjegullës The Keepers of the Fog 1988 Psychological thriller
Muri i gjallë The Living Wall 1989 Medieval fantasy
Balada e Kurbinit Ballad of Kurbin 1990 Romantic drama
Vdekja e kalit The Death of the Horse 1992 Psychological drama
Plumbi prej plasteline The Clay Bullet 1994 Sci-fi psychological drama
Një ditë nga një jetë A Day from a Life 1994
Kolonel Bunker Colonel Bunker 1998 Historical
Tirana Viti Zero Tirana Year Zero 2001 Comedy
Trishtimi i zonjës Shnajder The Sorrow of Mrs. Schneider 2008 Romantic drama
Koha e Kometës Time of the Comet 2008 Historical drama
Lindje, Perëndim, Lindje East, West, East 2009 Comedy
Amnistia Amnesty 2011 Drama
Falja e gjakut The Forgiveness of Blood 2011 Drama
Farmakon Pharmakon 2012 Drama
Jeta mes ujërave Life Between the Waters 2017 Drama
Mali i harrum The Forgotten Mountain 2018 Drama
Takim në ajër Encounter in the Air 2019 Drama
Freestyle to Montenegro Freestyle to Montenegro 2021 Documentary
Alexander (2023 film) Alexander 2023 Documentary

International influence

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During China's Cultural Revolution, many Chinese audience members were introduced to avant-garde and modernist storytelling techniques and aesthetics through Albanian film.[31]: 206–207 

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Natasha Lako. "THE GAME OF ALBANIAN FILM IMAGE 1895-1945". epa.oszk.hu.
  2. ^ Albanian Cinema Project. "Ndërthurja e Historisë Politike Me Historinë e Filmit - Një Përmbledhje E Historisë Së Filmit Shqiptar". thealbaniancinemaproject.org (in Albanian).
  3. ^ Williams 2023, pp. 51–52.
  4. ^ a b c "Politicians explain their beliefs". National Center of Cinematography. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024.
  5. ^ Williams 2023, p. 58.
  6. ^ Grgić 2021, p. 278.
  7. ^ Williams 2023, p. 65.
  8. ^ Imre 2012, pp. 225–226.
  9. ^ Williams 2023, p. 68.
  10. ^ Williams 2023, p. 146.
  11. ^ a b Williams 2023, p. 162.
  12. ^ Williams 2023, p. 194.
  13. ^ a b Grgić 2021, p. 280.
  14. ^ Williams 2023, p. 75.
  15. ^ a b Prifti 1978, p. 130.
  16. ^ Williams 2023, p. 81.
  17. ^ Williams 2023, p. 35.
  18. ^ Williams 2023, p. 83.
  19. ^ Williams 2023, pp. 38, 99.
  20. ^ Xiaoning 2021, p. 218.
  21. ^ Xiaoning 2021, p. 221.
  22. ^ Williams 2023, p. 97.
  23. ^ Grgić 2021, p. 279.
  24. ^ Prifti 1978, p. 132.
  25. ^ Williams 2023, p. 164.
  26. ^ Imre 2012, pp. 231–232.
  27. ^ Imre 2012, pp. 239.
  28. ^ Imre 2012, pp. 237.
  29. ^ Grgić 2021, p. 277.
  30. ^ Anabel, Shkruar (19 October 2019). "Shocking Story of a Young Man: This Albanian film is making a name for itself". Anabel. Archived from the original on 26 September 2024.
  31. ^ Li, Jie (2023). Cinematic Guerillas: Propaganda, Projectionists, and Audiences in Socialist China. Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231206273.

Works cited

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Books

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Journals

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