International Film Festival at Durr쳍
22 – 30 August
The city of Durr쳬 only half an hour’s drive from Tirana, will host the second annual International Film Festival of Durr쳠(International Summerfest Film, ISF 09). The event will take place at the theater hall of the city from the 22nd to the 30th of August 2009. A special place has been dedicated to Italian contemporary cinema.
Shekulli (28.07.2009) reported difficulties in the organization of this second annual film event but informed readers that staff or directors from the film “Slumdog Millionaire” will participate at the projection of the film which will inaugurate the first night of the festival, on the 22nd of August. The films shown on the following nights will run throughout this second annual international film competition held at Durr쳮
According to Shekulli, Anila Varfi, the Artistic Director of the Festival, explained that 18 films will compete for the Golden Gladiator, the highest trophy of the festival. The official competition program will include movies produced after the 1st of January 2008. A new award, going to the Best Critic, was created with the aim of promoting the development of professional film criticism in Albania.
Two competing categories were announced under the themes of “Contemporary Visions” and “Balkan World” which will collect and present European and Balkan contemporary films and filmmakers. The Festival boasts a total of 3 world premieres and 11 regional premieres and will be held at the International Film Festival of Durr쳠(International Summerfest Film 09). One of the premieres will be that of the film “Verso”, a Swiss production, by director Xavier Ruiz, starring Arben Bajraktari, an Albanian actor playing the role of the main character of the film.
The participation of local films produced in Albania or by Albanian authors was not confirmed or denied by Anila Varfi, the Artistic Director of the Festival, quoted by Shekulli, who explained that the festivals rules admitted only of those Albanian films that have not yet been shown to the public. At present, only one or two Albanian films match this criterion. If they participate, no particular category would be created for them. They would run under the “Balkan World” category, with other films coming from neighboring countries.
A number of prestigious films and authors will also run outside of the competition. Particular attention will be given to film sound tracks’ and discussions and events are expected to be organized on the soundtrack composition of a renowned composer. The last details concerning the festival will be made public on the 15th of August. Two international juries will be completed and announced on this date.
The International Summerfest Film (ISF) organized yearly at Durr쳬 was established in 2008 with the support of the National Center of Cinematography (Qendra Komb쵡re e Kinematografis묠QKK) and of the Municipality of Durr쳮 As reported by Shekulli (28.07.2009), this year QKK will not support the festival, but will instead aid an earlier film festival held in Tirana to grow into a long film competition capacity [see next article]. At the previous ISF event in 2008, a total of 51 films from 23 countries were reported to have participated. Among them, the Best Feature Film receiving the Festival’s Golden Gladiator trophy and a prize of 6000 Euros was awarded to “I served the King of England,” by Czech director Jiri Menzel.
The Golden Gladiator trophy, which bears a rough resemblance to the Oscar, was crafted in memory of the history of the city of Durr쳠as a Roman port and center with a large amphitheater where gladiator combats and racing competitions attracted the population of the city.
