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THE WINNERS 2003

PHOTO

JURY

AWARDS

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT TIFF

THE NEWSPAPER OF TIFF

Selected shorts for
the competition 2003

*** 82 FILMS selected  & DIRECTORS, FROM 30 COUNTRIES *** Tirana International Film Festival from 1 to 7 December 2003 is the first International Festival in Albania for short film, fiction, documentaries,animation and experimental ***  82 FILMS & DIRECTORS, FROM 30 COUNTRIES ***

Tirana Film Festival is considered by its organizers as a possibility to demonstrate your works and exchange information on the artistic and professional tendencies of cinematography of different countries, which belong to various cultural-ethnic backgrounds, several experiences of systems and political governance.

Furthermore, this activity is an ideal occasion to satisfy your curiosity regarding the history of Albania and its cinematography.

After a 50-year isolation, this country gives the possibility to see the rare phenomenon of a centralized management of cinematography by the state, made with entirely propagandistic goals.

The film production during this period reached levels, which can be considered as record with regard to the number of population in Albania. 15 long films, 20 documentaries, 16 animations per year, all made in one of the biggest institutions of the country with participation of the best representatives of the Albanian cinema.

During the routine and controlled production, many works tended to break the frames of scrupulous censure, bringing into light films of a very good quality and national identity, thus contributing to the establishment of an Albanian cinematography.

The Kinostudio "Shqiperia e Re" was the only institution to possess the license of film productions, which was later given also to the only Albanian Television channel (TVSH), a state property as well.

With the new political developments and the change of system after the `90s, the Albanian cinematography finds itself in the free trade's crossroad.

That which once represented the giant factory of cinematography, nowadays resembles a silent fossil of a dinosaur.

The festival's organizers will be available for those interested to visit the premises of this institution and be informed on the problematic of the actual production of the film in Albania.

The fate's analogy of the film production institute was followed by even more tragic consequences. Out of 7-8 projection halls that existed in the `90s, after a privatization process applied out of criteria, these halls do not exist anymore.

Only in 2000, the city of Tirana managed to have again a Cinema, with the persistence of the Minister of Culture at the time, currently Mayor of Tirana, Mr. Edi Rama.

The "Millenium" Cinema reconfirmed to Tirana, the capital of Albania, the privilege of being the capital of the Albanian cinematography as well.

Due to the above history, Tirana was considered as the most appropriate venue to organize the International Short Film Festival.

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The Albanian National Center of Cinematography

In 1996, like dozens of other institutions in Albania, Albafilm (former Film Studio “New Albania”) ceased to exist, and was transformed into a service center for cinematography. In the same year, the National Center of Cinematography was established as an institution that provides support for film projects, that are either totally or in part government budget..

Film Studio “New Albania” was established on 10 July 1952, five years before the establishment of the first Albanian university. Its first support with regard to the pattern, structure, technology and content came from the East, mainly from USSR. Step by step, it established all its necessary components: laboratory, set workshops, sound studios, editing rooms, and other studios, thus closing the cycle of making films independently. In those years it employed 700 people, which made it quite e big enterprise. In its best years, the Film Studio produced about fourteen artistic movies, sixteen cartoon films and about eighty documentaries a year. In its fifty years, Albania was able to produce 270 artistic movies, about one thousand documentaries, over 180 cartton films, not to mention its cine-diaries, which amount to staggering figures. When taking into account the size of Albania, such figures are almost unbelievable. All this is a great tradition, which, despite being limited from the ideology of the time, is an undeniable proof of our national culture.

Since 1996 Albania has created film works in co-production with other countries such as France, Poland, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Romania, etc. In firve years about 95 film works have been made (movies, documentaries and cartoons). Fort he first time Albanian films started to appear in prestigious festivals such as that of Cannes, Venice, Thesaloniki, Tokio, etc., where they have even received prizes. That has led to the increase in the interest in Albanian films and authors.

ANCC is an independent state structure, governed by its special law and budget, run by a board that represents and protects the interest of the Albanian cinematographic community directly. It operates by cooperating with Albanian film houses, which present and produce their films with its financial support. The produced films are totally private activity of such film houses and their producers. 

Those who are patient enough to read additional details about ANCC, this material can be annexed with a detailed chart on the use of the budget for each year and each film work, for the last seven years, and with other information about the mechanism of its organizational, legal and financial structures.

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The Albanian Animated Film

In December 1975, the first Albanian animated film was projected on the big screen. Its title was ‘Zana and Miri’, and it was made by two pioneers: Tomi Vaso and Vlash Droboniku.

Nowadays, in addition to the Albanian screen, it is projected with equal dignity on many international screens, such as in festivals like that of Cannes, Annecy, Espinho, tutgard, Hiroshima, Sao Paolo, Drama, Madrid, etc.

Studio AFA, being the only producing studio until 1997, has about  165 titles in its fund, which have been realized in various techniques, such as cartoon, Cellophane, dummies, Plasticine, drawing, water-colour, silhouette, real objects or other techniques combined with real figure and set.

A recent trend in animated film is that it addresses not only young ages but also adults, reflecting the latest social developments in Albania, including the phenomena of the Albanian society.

A positive trend in the Albanian animated film at this time is the widening of its geography of international communication, which led to its being projected on the most prestigious screens for animated films, with equal and successful presence.

The concept of animated film production in Albania is the same as the international concept of production, which means that in the future the Albanian animated film is ready to cooperate with film makers and production studios in other countries, something that is guaranteed by the quality and artistic level of the productions in the past years.

GREETING FROM THE
MINISTER OF CULTURE

GREETING FROM THE
 MAYOR OF TIRANA

GREETING FROM
THE ORGANIZERS

Hotel Tirana International

MILLENIUM  2
Movie Theater

FREE INTERNET ACCESS

TIRANA CITY

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