Cinema of Albania
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]
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Early Albanian films were introduced in Albania in 1909 by painter and photographer Kolë Idromeno in Shkodër.[3][4][5] Afterwards, the first public screening of foreign films took place over the years.
The motion pictures have won international and prestigious awards and each year new Albanian films are seen at film festivals around the globe.
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, Greek-Albanian Irene Papas 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.
Notable Albanian Films
| 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 |
See also
External links
- Central State's Film Archive
- National Center of Cinematography
- Abdurrahim Myftiu
- A selection of great Albanian movies offered by tanmarket.com (website in Albanian)
- History of the Albanian Cinema, a chronography from TheAlbanians.com (website in English)
- Albanian Film Database - Albanian films, cast, and crew
- Movie Movie - a chronological history of Albanian cinema from 1911 to the present day
- The Albanian Cinema Project - an initiative launched in 2012 by an international group of filmmakers, archivists and film scholars to help bring much needed attention to the cause of preserving, restoring and making accessible Albania's rich film legacy
References
- Natasha Lako. "THE GAME OF ALBANIAN FILM IMAGE 1895-1945". epa.oszk.hu.
- Albanian Cinema Project. "Ndërthurja e Historisë Politike Me Historinë e Filmit - Një Përmbledhje E Historisë Së Filmit Shqiptar". thealbaniancinemaproject.org (in Albanian).
- "A Short History of Albanian Cinema". nationalfilmcenter.wordpress.com. Archived from the original on 2020-01-25. Retrieved 2018-01-13.
- Robert Elsie (2007). Writing in Light – Early Photography of Albania and the Southwestern Balkans / Dritëshkronja – Fotografia e hershme nga Shqipëria dhe Ballkani. Prishtina: ATV Media Company & Arbi. p. 9. ISBN 978-9951-8735-1-2.
- Loïc Chauvin, Christian Raby. Albania, a photographic journey 1858-1945. Paris: Écrits de Lumière. ISBN 978-2-9538669-1-9.
