The Albanian

The Albanian
Directed by	Johannes Naber
Produced by	Boris Schönfelder Dritan Huqi
Written by	Johannes Naber
Starring	Nik Xhelilaj Xhejlane Tërbunia Ivan Shvedoff Amos Zaharia Stipe Erceg Çun Lajçi André Hennicke
Music by	Oliver Biehler
Cinematography	Sten Mende
Editing by	Ben Von Grafenstein
Distributed by	ARTE Neue Schönhauser Filmproduktion On Film Production Südwestrundfunk (SWR)
Release date(s)	June 23, 2010 (2010-06-23) (Moscow) June 28, 2010 (2010-06-28) (Germany) October 30, 2010 (2010-10-30) (Albania)
Running time	105 minutes
Country	Albania Germany
Language	German Albanian

The Albanian (German: Der Albaner, Albanian: Shqiptari) is a 2010 German and Albanian drama film directed by Johannes Naber and starring the Albanian award-winning Nik Xhelilaj.

Plot

For the sake of love and the situations imposed by the life in his country, Arben emigrates to Germany. An illegal emigration, in search of money, a subtle condition to protect his love; an adventure that unintentionally confronts him with the unmerciful world of crime^[1].

Cast

• Nik Xhelilaj as Arben
• Xhejlane Tërbunia as Etleva
• Ivan Shvedoff as Slatko
• Amos Zaharia as Ilir
• Stipe Erceg as Damir
• Eva Löbau as Nicola
• Çun Lajçi as Arben's father
• Luan Jaha as Arben's uncle
• Bruno Shllaku as Sali
• André Hennicke as Pharmacist
• Hazir Sh. Haziri as Edon

Awards and competition

Within a short screening period, the film has won several awards and the sympathy of the audience. The leading actor Nik Xhelilaj has earned three Best Leading Actor awards until now in three different film festivals^[1].

Awards won

• Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis 2011^[2]
  • Best Film / Max-Ophüls-Preis
• Cinéma Tous Ecrans - Geneva international Film Festival 2010^[3]
  • Best Film "Reflet d'Or" (Ex aequo)
  • Public Award for Best long feature film
• 32nd Moscow International Film Festival^[4]
  • Special Jury Prize "Silver George"^[5][6]
  • Best Actor Prize "Silver George" for Nik Xhelilaj^[5][6]
• Bergen International Film Festival 2010
  • Special Jury Mention^[7]
• PriFilmFest - Prishtina International Film Festival 2010^[8]
  • Special Jury Award for the film
  • "Golden Goddess" Best Actor Award for Nik Xhelilaj
• 47th Antalya "Golden Orange" International Film Festival
  • Best Actor Award for Nik Xhelilaj in the International Feature Competition^[9]

The film has also competed in other film festivals such as 45th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and 22nd Palm Springs International Film Festival and 15th Pusan International Film Festival.^[10]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Gazeta Albania - Filmi "Shqiptari" pushton Festivalin e Gjenevës (in Albanian) | November 9, 2010
2. ^ Max Ophüls Preis, 17.-23. january 2011
3. ^ CINEMA TOUS ECRANS, 1-7 novembre 2010
4. ^ Martin Blaney German double triumph in Moscow June 29, 2010
5. ^ ^{a b} The 32 Moscow International Film Festival awards
6. ^ ^{a b} German films - Rome 2010, Der Albaner (The Albanian), page 13
7. ^ Shqiptari vleresohet ne Norvegji e Gjeneve (in Albanian)
8. ^ PRIFILMFEST Prishtina International Film Festival 22-29 September 2010
9. ^ 47th Antalya "Golden Orange" International Film Festival — International Feature Competition
10. ^ Film archive: Der Albaner

External links

• Der Albaner at the Internet Movie Database