Agon movie to make world premiere at Chicago festival

TIRANA, Sept. 25 – Agon, a movie featuring Albanian migration and prejudice against them abroad in the post 90s will make its world premiere in the United States where it has been selected to participate in the Chicago International Film Festival.
The movie, a Greek-Albanian co-production directed by Albania’s Robert Budina has been selected to participate in the New Directors competition.
This selection of first and second feature films, a mix of World, North American and U.S. premieres, celebrates the spirit of discovery and innovation upon which the Festival was founded, organizers says about the New Directors competition.
A powerful drama about cultural conflict and the strength of familial bonds, Agon explores the relationship between Albanian brothers who must deal with prejudice and bigotry in a new country. Saimir is well-established and thriving with a stable job and a fianc顩n Greece, while Vini, newly emigrated, is involved with dangerous criminals. Family is incredibly important to both brothers, but their differences open a rift between them that they must confront.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity to distribute this film to America and the main reason the film was selected is because it brings big spiritual troubles,” said Budina.
The film will screen in the US festival on Oct 18, 19 and 22 before also travelling to Albania in early December.
“This is no immigrantsԠstory, but a story about people’s efforts to integrate. This is no story about crime and mafia, but a story about impossible love. I have met all the characters of my drama, in other circumstances. Today I have an opportunity to recreate them, in order to build a story with them and express, through this story, the complexity of human feelings,” says the movie director.