After a number of difficult years, Albanian cinema has apparently survived the worst and is now turning its eyes towards co-productions. Yet, it continues to struggle with a lack of appropriate equipment and resources. “We have real talents. But the talents don’t necessarily have money. In most of the cases, the opposite is true,” film director and screenwriter Kujtim Çashku told Southeast Europe: People and Culture. He runs the “Marubi” Film Academy, a school which provides support and training to young artists in Albania.
With less than €1.5million per year, the Albanian cinema industry produces two to three art house films, five to six documentaries and an average of four to five feature films. Almost all films that have been produced so far in the country after the end of communism have been co-productions. It was 1995 when “Colonel Bunker”, the first co-production Albania ever realised with France and Poland, directed by Kujtim Çashku, was released to great success. Çashku’s movie got splendid reviews as well as the UNESCO Award at the 1998 Venice Film Festival.
“Albania has had the chance to be presented in various film festivals thanks to the co-productions. It is true that not all our films have grabbed prestigious prizes but we can say that they are already part of Europe’s cinematic heritage,” said Çashku.
“Year 0” (by Fatmir Koçi), “The Slogan,” (by Gjergj Xhuvani), “The Sadness of Mrs. Schneider” (by Piro Milkani) and “The Magic Eye” (by Kujtim Çashku) are some of the best known co-productions so far.
Their themes are mostly inspired by the recent history of the country. “I am of the opinion that 20 years after the fall of the communist regime, Albanian cinematography should turn its eyes to the delicate problems of our society [today],” Çashku said, adding “every artist is a chronicle writer of the time he lives in.”
Albanian cinema dates back to 1897, the year when the first film was shown in the country by a visiting Italian couple. “That was a special event for a small country like Albania which lacked even its own state at that time,” Abaz Hoxha, a film researcher and historian for 45 years, told Southeast Europe: People and Culture.
During the communist period films reflected state propaganda. Despite some people who disregard such movies, there are many others who believe they constitute a valued part of the film archive.
“All over the world, there are many films, studied at university, which were produced under totalitarian regimes,” argues Çashku.
Director of Photography Faruk Basha highly appreciates the role of the Marubi Film Academy. “I am concerned about the new generation of film makers. There are many talented people who are not involved in feature film making, even co-productions. They are mostly making short films or advertising. Until 2004, some 60-70 percent of the production teams in Albania were brought from abroad. Now Marubi is contributing a lot to changing this,” he told Southeast Europe: People and Culture.
Marubi, established in 2004, promotes exchanges of its students with other foreign cinema studios. The first days of October will be dedicated to the fifth edition of the International Human Rights Festival during which 36 films, mainly films censored in their own countries, such as Iran, Cuba, China and Afghanistan, will be shown.
Indeed, Marubi is standing strong at a time when only some ruins have remains from the first public cinema, the once famous “17 Nentori”.
“I see the future of Albanian cinematography with optimism because the artistic element is here. We have a generation of great cinema producers. The same can be said for composers and stage directors.” Hoxha said.
