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.

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, Turkish-Albanian Barish Arduç and Albanian-German Aleksandër Moisiu

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 Foundation 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. The Charles Urban Trading Company shot films in Albania from between 1902 and the Balkan Wars. Albert Kahn's ethnographical footage from 1912 was among the first films shot in Albania.

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. One of the first Albanian films shot with an Albanian cast was the short film Encounter at the Lake ("Takim në liqen") from 1943. Mone left Albania in 1945, and spent the remainder of his life in the United States.

Communist The Central State Film Archive reported that 286 films were made in the communist period. stated that 103 films were produced between 1978 and 1984, and 86 films were produced between 1985 and 1991.

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. 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.

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, and won an International Prize at the 1954 Cannes Film Festival. 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. Keko was one of the few female directors in the communist period.

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. Kristaq Dhamo's 1958 film Tana was Kinostudio's first feature-length film and is regarded as the first one in Albanian history.

In 1952, Daughters of China ("Zhong Hua nu er") became the first Chinese film shown in Albania. The Sino-Albanian Cultural Cooperation Agreement was signed on 14 October 1954. 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. Jerry Lewis' films were some of the few foreign films allowed to be shown in Albania under Hoxha.

Filmmaker was imprisoned between 1956 and 1990.

The 1970s was a period of Albanian cinema in which the depiction of Italians and Fascist Italy's control of Albania were common.

, released in 1975, was the first animated feature film in Albania.

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

Modern Kinostudio closed in 1991 and was split into: Albafilm, Albafilm Distribution, Albafilm Animation and the Albanian State Film Archive. The Tirana International Film Festival was launched in 2003.

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.

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

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.

Notable Albanian Films

TitleTranslationYearGenre 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 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 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 Comedy Zonja nga qyteti The Lady from the City 1976 Lulëkuqet mbi mure Red Poppies on Walls Coming of age drama Përballimi The Confrontation Njeriu me top The Man with the Cannon 1977 Tomka dhe shokët e tij Tomka and His Friends 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 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 Kolonel Bunker Colonel Bunker 1998 Historical Tirana Viti Zero Tirana Year Zero 2001 ComedyParullatSlogansComedy, drama Trishtimi i zonjës Shnajder The Sorrow of Mrs. Schneider 2008 Romantic drama Koha e Kometës Time of the Comet Historical drama Lindje, Perëndim, Lindje East, West, East 2009 Comedy Amnistia Amnesty 2011 Drama Falja e gjakut The Forgiveness of Blood Farmakon Pharmakon 2012 Jeta mes ujërave Life Between the Waters 2017 Mali i harrum The Forgotten Mountain 2018 Takim në ajër Encounter in the Air 2019 Freestyle to Montenegro Freestyle to Montenegro 2021 Documentary Alexander (2023 film) Alexander 2023

International influence During China's Cultural Revolution, many Chinese audience members were introduced to avant-garde and modernist storytelling techniques and aesthetics through Albanian film.

Cinema of Albania

Bron en licentie