TIRANA, Oct. 20 – The Albanian film ‘’Delegacioni’’ (The delegation) won the Warsaw Grand Prix and the ecumenical prize – a special award given from the jury – at the 34th Warsaw International Film Festival, from Oct. 12 until Oct. 21.
The film uses a script written from Artan Minarolli and was directed from Bujar Alimani. Part of the cast are Viktor Zhusti, Ndricim Xhepa, Xhevdet Ferri, Kasem Hoxha, etc.. The production comes in a collaboration between Albania, Kosovo, Greece and France, and discusses the events in Albania after the communist regime fell in the 1990s.
A European delegation has arrived in Tirana to closely study how are the democratic reforms undertaken by the government working out. These reforms are main conditions set to Albania to join CSBE, which today is known as OSCE.
Their leader is mister Loherin, whose duty is to report on the human rights the Albanian people live. When student in Prague, Loherin has been classmates with Leo, a political persecutee for about 15 years. Leo is still in prison, but he gets bailed out so Albania will be presented in the eyes of the foreign delegation as a place where democratic reforms happen, and to also meet Loherin as an intellectual, since they have studied together. Leo understands the situation and yet tries to persuade Loherin that things go smoothly in Albania, however, nothing goes as planned.
The film speaks not only to the politically persecuted citizens during the communism, but adopted to current terms, to the intellectuals who with pride and courage do not become tools of the government’s power.
‘’For as long as the people continue living, the intelligence won’t die,’’ said director Bujar Alimani.
He said that the staff dedicated this award to screenwriter Artan Minarolli who no longer lives. He left behind a script for which the hard work pays back with a great reward, which appraises the artistic approach to a painful history and its adoption to nowadays issues the country is facing, through simple symbolism.
The film will be screened in November at the Tirana Film Festival.
