TIFF awards two prizes to Albanian films

TIRANA, Dec.2- The international jury that judged films competing at the Tirana Film festival awarded the final prize to “Salvador”, made by the Spanish film maker, Abdelatif H쪤ar, who is of Arab origins. The jury awarded the movie which has been previously acclaimed in many other competitions, being part of the list for the Prix UIP, of the prestigious European Film Academy. The movie has also been honored at the International festival in Greece. “Salvador” tells the story of a terrorist act left incomplete. As explained by jury member Dania Appolloni, so many outstanding movies competed in this year’s competition, (with some 100 films in the artistic, experimental, documentary and animated categories) that the jury decided to award prizes for other categories as well. The best artistic movie prize was shared between two movies which were judged as both excellent. One of these went to the Kosovar director, Burim Haliti, for “Iron Mungary” from Kosova and the other to “Children Who Never Existed” by David Valero of Spain. The special prize for this category went to “Stand Straight” by German director Hannah Scheweier and to “New Boy” by the Irish Steph Green, who also received the public’s prize. The best Albanian movie was from Kosovo. The jury, consisting of Bashkim Hoxha, Esat Muliu and Kristaq Mitro, awarded the movie, “Lindja nuk pyet” (Birth Can’t Wait) by Parta Kelmendi. The best animated movie was “ARK” by the Polish director Grzegorz Jonkajtys and special prizes in this category went to “George Grows” by the German, Martin Schmidt, and “Butterfly” by Albanian Stefan Ta詬 as well as to the French “The Memory Of Dogs” by Simone Massi. The media jury, composed of Milena Selimi, Alma Mile, Rovena Rozhani, Sokol Shameti and Fjodora Fjora, awarded the Egyptian movie, “Rise and Shine”, by Sherif Elbendary. The best documentary prize went to “The Bridge” by Austrian Haris Bilajbegovic, while a special prize was given to “Giovanni And The Impossible Myth Of Visual Art” by the Italian, Gabriele Gismondi. The best experimental movie was awarded to “Magnetic Movie” a British-American joint production of R. Jarman and J. Gerhardt. A special prize in this category went to “Hidrophil” of the German Grau Mia. This year’s Tirana film festival lasted one week.