Archive of films Alive! / Alive!

Albania / Austria / France
2009, 90 min

Section: East of the West - Competition
Year: 2009

Koli, a student, returns to his native mountain village to attend his father’s funeral. When someone takes a shot at him, he is alarmed to discover that he is ostensibly a victim of a blood feud sparked by his grandfather sixty years earlier. How deeply entrenched in people are the traditions of their forebears? And to what extent are they able to accept them as part of their modern, superficial lifestyle?, asks director Artan Minarolli in this psychological film drama.


Synopsis

Twenty-two-year-old Koli is studying at Tirana university. When he hears of his father’s death, he returns to his native mountain village in the north to attend the funeral. During a walk through the countryside of his childhood, someone takes a shot at him. In a state of shock, the young man discovers that he is part of a blood feud sparked by his grandfather sixty years earlier. He goes to see the family to whom, according to custom, he owes his life – and, in doing so, he makes the acquaintance of the murderer whom fate has determined will take it. Away from his modern urban environment, Koli suddenly finds himself in a world of ancient, inexorable rituals, from which he is unable to extricate himself even after his return to Tirana. How deeply entrenched in people are the traditions of their forebears? And to what extent are they able to accept them as part of their modern, superficial lifestyle? How far-reaching is the perception of one’s own destiny and affinity with one’s roots? Director Artan Minarolli dedicated his film drama to the eighty-six illegal immigrants who drowned off the coast of Italy during an attempt to flee their native country in March 1997.

About the director

Artan Minarolli

Artan Minarolli (b. 1958, Tirana) graduated in 1982 after studying fine art at the University of Tirana, Albania. He graduated in film direction from Albafilm Studio in Tirana ten years later. He worked as an assistant director, e.g. for director Spartak Pecani on his film Incessant Words (Fjalë pa fund, 1986). His documentary For a Centimetre (Për një centimetër) was awarded at the International Sport Film Festival in Turin. Together with Petrik Ruka he co-directed the drama One Hundred Percent (Quind për Qind, 1993) and the film The Clay Bullet (Plumbi prej plasteline, 1994). In 2004 he directed the award-winning psychological drama The Moonless Night (Nata pa hënë), made in an Albanian-French coproduction; the film had successful screenings at various festivals, including the Rotterdam IFF.

Contacts

WILDart Film
Pfeilgasse 32/1, 1080, Vienna
Austria
Tel: +43 1 595 2991
Fax: +43 1 595 2991 21
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.wildartfilm.com

About the film

Color, 35 mm
World premiere

Section: East of the West - Competition
   
Director: Artan Minarolli
Screenplay: Artan Minarolli
Dir. of Photography: Jacques Bouquin
Music: Baptiste Bouquin
Editor: Oliver Neumann
Producer: Ebba Sinzinger, Vincent Lucassen, Artan Minarolli, Marie Balducchi
Production: WILDart Film
Cast: Nik Xhelilaj, Bruno Shllaku, Besart Kallaku, Nijada Saliasi, Xhevdet Ferri
Contact: WILDart Film
   
www: www.alive-thefilm.com

Guests

Artan Minarolli

Film Director / Producer

Kreshnik Xhelilaj

Actor


Emir Gramo

Film Crew

Ebba Sinzinger

Producer


Martin Schweighofer

Film Institution Rep.

Luli Bitri

Actress


YouTube

© 2024 FILM SERVIS FESTIVAL KARLOVY VARY, a.s. [email protected] +420 221 411 011 All contacts

AccommodationsAccommodations Festival Pass, tickets, reservationsFestival Pass, tickets
HistoryHistory ContactsContacts
Archive of filmsArchive of films KVIFF TalksKVIFF Talks
Industry Days Programme 2021Industry Days Programme KVIFF Eastern PromisesKVIFF Eastern Promises
VideogalleryVideogallery PhotogalleryPhotogallery
ContactsContacts Posters of the 57th KV IFFPosters of the 57th KV IFF
HistoryHistory Festival GuideFestival Guide