The Albanian Film Week in London

The Albanian Film Season
from 5 to 9 October;
Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, London W6 9RL


Wednesday 5 October
6.45pm
Albanian Film Season Double Bill

Dasma e Sakos (15)Sako's Wedding
Directed by Vladimir Prifti Albania, 1998, 100m sub-titles
screening with Nate pa Hene
Under stone roofs of houses with walls like castles Sako’s wedding is about to come to a halt. One of the best Albanian film directors, metaphorically tells that dictatorships might be the same in essence, but they differ in shape. The story takes place at the beginning of the last century but for many Albanians of the end of the 20th century it does ring some bells.

Wednesday 5 October
8.50pm
Nate pa Hene (18)Moonless Night
Directed by Artan Minarolli Albania/France, 2004, 80m sub-titles
screening with Dasma e Sakos
Rudina and her grandfather leave their village to emigrate to the West. In the train full of would-be emigrants, Rudina meets Gjergj. On the way to the promised land Rudina discovers the truth about her grandfather’s past and the way in which Gjergj is also part of this. On the beach, under a moonless night, they are about to choose their future.

Thursday 6 October
7.00pm
Albanian Film Season Double Bill

Tirana - Viti Zero (18)Tirana - Year Zero
Directed by Fatmir Koci Albania/France/Belgium, 2001, 90m sub-titles
screening with Proka
Niku and Klara are very much in love. Both youngsters have different directions to pursue against a backdrop of highly emotional people living on the edge of despair. A crazy German tourist hires Niku to help him pursue his own made dream. A film celebrating the maverick spirit of filmmaking.

Thursday 6 October
8.50pm
Proka (U) Directed by Isa Qosja Kosove, 1985, 89m sub-titles
screening with Tirana - Viti Zero
Proka is different from others in his village. Working hard to overcome the drought he remains uninterested to the surrounding petty gossips. Being not like other villagers they seem him as being against the environment, the establishment and counter to their mentality. From here starts his existentialist affliction. Great picture with surprising authenticity.

Friday 7 October
7.00pm
Albanian Film Season Double Bill

Letra ne Ere (15)Letters in the Wind
Directed by Edmond Budina Albania/Italy, 2002, 90m sub-titles
screening with Kolibja e Qenit
It is a story of Niko (interpreted by Budina himself) who goes to Italy in search of his son. With a sincere mix of fantasy and realistic portrayal of everyday sagas, Budina manages to give both the comical and tragic elements of life on the other side of the Adriatic at the end of the 90s.

Friday 7 October8.30pm
Kolibja e Qenit (U)The Kennel
Directed by Bujar Alimani Albania/Greece, 2002, 14m sub-titles
screening with Letra ne Ere
Sometimes animals can remind us to be more human. This film is an unusual approach to the migration.
This double bill will be followed immediately by the double bill Edeni I braktisur/The Deserted Eden and Kosova 9/11 to form a quadruple bill.

Friday 7 October
8.45pm
Albanian Film Season Double Bill

Edeni I braktisur (U)The Deserted Eden
Directed by Eno Milkani Albania, 2002, 20m sub-titles
screening with Kosova 9/11
In this film you will see what is left behind in the beautiful south Albania after the mass scale emigration has taken place. The old faithful people who still remain are thirsty for life.

Friday 7 October
9.05pm
Kosova 9/11 (U) Directed by Burbuge Berisha Kosove, 2003, 13m sub-titles
This film tells with a local wit what happened in rural Kosova on 9/11 when America was under attack and the news gets distorted.

This double bill will be preceded immediately by the double bill Letra ne Ere/Letters in the Wind and Kolibja e Qenit/The Kennel to form a quadruple bill.

Saturday 8 October
6.55pm
Albanian Film Season Double Bill
Lule te Zeza (18)Black Flowers
Directed by Mevlan Shanai Albania, 2003, 105m sub-titles
screening with Vallezim me Henen
Liliana, a free spirited woman, is abandoned by her husband and so is her newly wed daughter Ana. As the village becomes emptier, foreign religion missionaries keep arriving. After her father and husband flee, Ana disappears. Liliana is left behind with the teacher, whom her husband always thought of as being Ana’s father.

Saturday 8 October
8.55pm
Vallezim me Henen (U)Dance with the Moon
Directed by Ismet Sijarina Kosove, 2002, 14m sub-titles
screening with: Lule te Zeza (18)Black Flowers
Nita and Mrika are two twins in a suburb of Prishtina. Like every child they too have their dreams. For Nita everything changes after the dramatic events in New York on 9/11.