By Juxhina Malaj
Hollywood actress of Albanian origin Eliza Dushku’s documentary Dear Albania, which aired on PBS and APT’s World Channel on January 4, 2016, has reached over 200 million viewers on World Channel. According to World Channel, Dear Albania tells two stories within itself: “the journey of Albania through centuries of oppression, conquest, and civistrife to triumph over Communism and its emergence as a vibrant modern state; and the journey of one family, the Dushkus.”
A collaboration of Dushku, actor/producer Blerim Destani, and popular photographer Fadil Berisha, the documentary was strongly supported in Albania as well as by Albanian communities in the United States, Kosovo, and other countries. Passionate about Albania, in 2015 Dushku, accompanied by her brother, Destani, and Berisha, traveled to 15 cities within Albania and three bordering countries: Kosovo, Montenegro, and Macedonia, to discover more about Albania’s culture, history, and more.
Distributed by the American Public television and produced by Boston Diva Productons, the documentary started airing on World Channel on October 1, 2015. Its kickstarter campaign, which managed to raise $72,649 pledged by 939 backers, announced last September that the documentary has signed a 2-year contract with APT and besides World Channel, the documentary would begin to air on 60-70% of US local public TV channels.
According to the American Public Television press release, the program would air from 2 to 5 times during the 2-year period, depending on program’s viewership. The documentaries wide release officially started on January 4, 2016 and is expected to premiere primetime on various TV channels. Currently Dear Albania is featured on WorldChannel.org homepage under the What’s Hot This Month section.
Thankful to Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama’s held and approximately 1000 Kickstarter backers who helped bring the project to life, Dushku said that the main reason why the documentary was made, was to promote Albania and give everyone the opportunity to know a little more about her country of origin. “ The documentary was not made to show that Albanians are the best, but to show that this place exists. To show Albanian people, their traditions, and language, which is one of the oldest languages in Europe. Albania has a long history to show,” Dushku said. “The documentary will show to the world who Albanians are – our culture, our traditions, and our breathtaking landscapes. Even though Albania is a small country, it has a powerful tradition, culture, and history,” Dushku added.
The 35-year-old actress is most known for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H, Locked In, etc. Dushku was nominated in 2004 for a Teen Choice Award as Choice Breakout Star – Female, as well as for a Saturn Award as Best Actress in a Television Series with her performance in Tru Calling. In 2009 Maxim magazine ranked her 6th on the “Hot 100 Women of 2009” list.
