Welcome to Tirana European Youth Film Festival
5-10 September 2024
Award Winners
Press Release
Tirana European Youth Film Festival 2024, Concludes with Celebrations and Award Announcements
Tirana, September 10, 2024 – After six days of inspiring screenings, masterclasses,
forums and parties, the second edition of the Tirana European Youth Film Festival
has come to a triumphant close, celebrating the creativity and talent of emerging
European filmmakers.
This year’s festival featured a diverse selection of nine films in competition from
France, Italy, Poland, Germany, Portugal, Serbia, Albania, and Kosovo. The films were showcased at our esteemed venues: Agimi Art Center, Cinema Maks Velo, and the Pyramid of Tirana.
Official Selection
ALEXANDER (2023)
Director: Ardit Sadiku
Country: Albania
SYNOPSIS: On September 11, 1990, mechanic Alexander Gruda and his family embarked on one of the most daring adventures at the end of the Cold War. After being fired by the Albanian navy, Gruda and a group of friends hatched a dangerous plan to hijack a warship in order to flee their country’s harsh communist dictatorship. Against all odds, they headed the vessel towards neighboring Yugoslavia. During their escape they were confronted by intense machine gun fire while being pursued by the military might of the Marxist regime. Director, producer and cameraperson Ardit Sadiku recreates this thrilling story along with witness testimony of Gruda, his family and a former army guard who may be responsible for a tragedy that occurred on the journey. Alexander was Albania’s selection for the Best International Feature Film at the 96 th US Academy Awards.
DEATH OF A CITY (A MORTE DE UMA CIDADE) (2022)
Director: João Rosas
Country: Portugal
SYNOPSIS: In the heart of Bairro Alto, right in the centre of Lisbon, the building of an old printing workshop is demolished to make way for luxury apartments. Seeing this as a perfect image for the death of a certain Lisbon in the wake of the financial crisis and the ensuing real estate and touristic boom, the director films an urban diary portraying the daily life of the construction site and those who work there. What starts out as a work-centred film turns out to be the story of the director’s relationship with his hometown and with the people who build it.
ECHO(2022)
Director: Mareike Wegener
Country: Germany
SYNOPSIS: Detective Harder takes on her first case after surviving a bomb attack during
a police training mission in Afghanistan. The remains of a girl are discovered in a moor
near the small German town of Friedland. But Harder’s investigation falters from the
outset – not least due to the discovery of a live bomb dating to the Second World War,
which throws the Friedlanders and Harder herself into turmoil.
HORROR STORY (2023)
Director: Adrian Apanel
Country: Poland
SYNOPSIS: Filled with black humor, Horror Story is a coming-of-age tale and a satire on the modern job market. The film is the story of a recent graduate Tomek, determined to land a prestigious job for a corporation to get back his ex-girlfriend. While he is looking for work, he moves into a cheap room with strong house-of-horrors vibes. With time, Tomek realizes that the real horror is not the house or its bizarre residents, but the job hunt itself.
I LOVE YOU MORE (2023)
Director: Erblin Nushi
Country: Kosovo
SYNOPSIS: After a year of online pillow-talk, Ben, a shy Kosovar teen, is exhilarated to finally meet his first (but se-cret) love, Leo. Consumed with passion, Ben carefully weaves the plans and cover-story for his much desired romantic tryst with Leo who is arriving from Germany in just one month. Everything must be perfect. Great news, Ben’s mother surprises him and the family with a life changing opportunity, but he just can’t take it yet. He must meet Leo.
KRISTINA (2023)
Director: Nikola Spasić
Country: Serbia
SYNOPSIS: Kristina is a transgender sex worker in Serbia. For several years now, Kristina has relied on her religious faith to overcome her fears, feeling of guilt and to find meaning in her life. Far from her loved ones, Kristina earns a living in Belgrade, longing for what she’s always been missing – someone who will respect her, take care of her and love her as she is. A stylized mix of doc and fiction, KRISTINA won the First Film Prize at the Festival International de Cinema de Marseille (FIDIMarseille).
NEXT TO NOTHING (TYLE CO NIC) (2023)
Director: Grzegorz Debowski
Country: Poland
SYNOPSIS: A group of farmers organizes a protest outside the house of an MP who, contrary to his earlier promises, voted against their interests. When a human body is discovered in the manure they dump on his front yard, suspicion immediately falls on Jarek, the leader of the protest, even though the deceased was his closest friend. Determined to clear his name, Jarek launches his own investigation, uncovering the truth behind his friend’s death and exposing the real mindset of the villagers around him. Against a world that prefers to forget the past, Jarek fights to uphold his friend’s memory and prove that no life is worth “next to nothing”.
THREE INFALLIBLE RULES (TRE REGOLE INFALLIBILI)(2024)
Director: Marco Gianfreda
Country: Italy
SYNOPSIS: Fourteen year-old Bruno is in a state of panic: he finds out his love for Flavia is requited, but has no idea how to start a relationship. He needs someone to teach him the ropes, and it just so happens that his best bet is the much detested Luca, the only man capable of making his hopeless mother Claudia fall in love again.
Bruno must swallow his pride and accept his worst enemy’s advice. Little does he know that Luca and Claudia’s relationship is shaky, undermined and anything but exemplary.
LITTLE ONES
Director: Julie Lerat- Gersany
Country: France
SYNOPSIS: Pregnant, 16-year-old Camille is placed in a home for teen mothers by a family court judge. Separated from her own loving yet toxic mother, she strikes up a friendship with Alison, another rather immature underage mother. Camille rebels against social worker Nadine, a passionate authority figure. These encounters will radically change Camille’s destiny.
Cast Your Vote and Shape the Outcome!
Your opinion matters! As a viewer and cinema enthusiast, you have the unique opportunity to influence the results by voting for your favorite film. Your vote will contribute to the selection of the ” Audience Award” recognizing the outstanding creativity, storytelling, and cinematic excellence demonstrated by the filmmakers.
Vision
“Tirana European Youth Film Festival” (TEYFF) is a non- profit enterprise, whose mission is to open a new window of the European cinema in Tirana. European film doesn’t get distributed in Albanian and with this film festival we want to introduce them to the local cinema circuit so that they can find new audience in Tirana.
Mission
We believe film as an art form has the power to bridge cultures and illuminate the universality of the human experience. “Tirana European Youth Film Festival” pursues its artistic and public service goals; to enrich, to educate, to entertain, to initiate cultural dialogue and celebrate cinematic excellence in any language. Our principal objectives encompass promoting young film directors to an ever-widening audience as a powerful medium that inspires creativity and brings Europe inside Albania.
Our Jury
Isa Qosja
Jury Member
With a theatrical and film career in both fiction and documentary spanning four decades, Isa Qosja is one of Kosovo’s preeminent directors. The ethnic Albanian Qosja was born on February 12, 1949 in the village of Vuthaj, Montenegro. Qosja graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, Yugoslavia majoring in film and theater directing. After directing several shorts and a TV series, Qosja made his first full-length feature film, the influential Albanian language Proka (1984) followed by Rojet e Mjegullës (Keepers of the Fog) (1987). After the fall of Yugoslavia, Qosja directed the Kosovar production Kukumi (2005) and a decade later, Tri Dritare dhe një Varje (Three Windows and a Hanging) (2014), Kosovo’s first Academy Award Best Foreign Film candidate. Most recently, Isa Qosja completed a new feature film Lejlek. (The Stork) (2023).
Rovena Lule
Jury Member
Rovena ‘Rovi’ Lule Kuka is a highly accomplished Albanian actress, professor and theater director. Lule Kuka has established a solid reputation appearing onstage and in leading Albanian film productions including director Bujar Alimani’s acclaimed drama The Delegation (2018). Lule Kuka played the lead role in film director Pluton Vasi’s Maya (2011) then appeared in Vasi’s The Internationals (2018) and his recent Dancing in the Shadows (2023). Rovena Lule Kuka has directed over ten theater plays further showcasing her talents as a versatile artist. Rovena Lule Kuka currently teaches acting and theory at the University of Arts, Tirana.
Giacomo Abbruzzese
Acclaimed Italian filmmaker Giacomo Abbruzzese (born 1983) established his filmmaking career directing several award-winning short fiction and documentary films. Abbruzzese’s work has screened at festivals including Oberhausen, Clermont-Ferrand, Sarajevo and the Viennale. A former Cannes Cinéfondation artist in residence, Abbruzzese was nominated for a César Award for his one-hour documentary America (2021). Abbruzzese’s feature-length debut Disco Boy (2023) screened at the Sarajevo Film Festival and the Berlinale where it won the coveted Silver Bear.
Awards & Prizes
AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
AWARD FOR BEST SCREENPLAY
AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE
AUDIENCE AWARD
Check Out Our Catalog
Discover the next generation of European filmmakers! Explore our catalog to find a diverse selection of films that capture the spirit and creativity of young talent from across Europe. Click the button below to dive into a world of inspiring stories and cinematic excellence.
Tirana European Youth Film Festival Staff
Festival Director: Malda Lika
Festival Advisor: Elkjana Gjipali
Creative Consultant: Thomas Logoreci
Graphic Design & Social media manager: Marin Maloku
Junior Graphic Designer: Alkid Shuli
Subtitles translator: Elisavet Prence
Film Pojectionist: Alesio Agjaku
Videographer & Photographer: Klara Fyshku
Volunteer Cordinator: Jonas Kepi
Volunteers: Livia Herri, Klios, Hoxhallari, Dea Nura, Kevin Nervaj, Jona Anastasi, Ema Bisholla, Enes Hoxha, Serena Fejzo, Kristi Goxha, Ilenia Zhapaj, Ester Kapo, Erli Nuraj, Erin Husa, Ilians Bilbilaj, Iris Boshnjaku, Isabela Gurabardhi, Aurora Feruni, Arbi Mustafaj, Dorela Corej, Klea Shehu, Livia Banaj, Rakela Cuku
Rules and regulations
The Rules and Regulations are issued in English. Please fill in the entry form very carefully. The details provided will be used for the trophies, certificates, other Festival listings and promo material. Once the entry form has been submitted, changes are not possible.
Films taking part in the Festival Competition should meet the following requirements:
Film production has to be completed after January 1st, 2020 (inclusive).
The total duration of the film cannot exceed the respective duration according to the Production Type.
The films should be in their original language with English Subtitles, if the original language is not English.
Applicants should fill in all the required fields of the entry form.
Competitions
“Tirana European Youth Film Festival” TeyFF accepts films from Europe and Albania, in one format: Feature Films;
First Feature Films from European and Albanian Directors
Production Type accepted: Fiction Films and Creative Documentaries
Film Applications
All entries should reach the organizers no later than June 21th 2023.
Each submission has to be accompanied by:
The Film
Promotional material of the Film (photos, posters, trailer, etc.)
Director’s photo
Formats
Copyright And Broadcast Rights
By entering a film at the Festival, the entrant declares, that he is entitled to dispose of all rights to the use of the entry and vouches for these rights vis-a-vis the Festival. The entrant warrants that the rights of use held by all authors, owners of ancillary copyrights and other parties involved in the production of the Festival entry, except for the rights safeguarded by the performing rights societies, have been acquired in a due and proper manner and the exploitation of the festival entry is not barred by personality rights or other third-party rights in any manner whatsoever.
The Festival has the right to reject any material that does not align with the character and objectives of its program.
All submitted films, entry forms and promotional material are kept in the Festival’s archive.
“Tirana European Youth Film Festival” reserves the right to screen all the films submitted, specifically the right to present and demonstrate the film in public either in whole or in part or to use the entry in part on a “Festival Reel” or similar, to the festival. This also applies to stills/images provided to the festival. All aforementioned transfers of use shall be of worldwide validity.
Exclusive Rights Of The Organizing Committee
The Art Director of the Festival reserves the right to determine the Festival’s program and make changes if necessary.
The Organizing Committee decides and is responsible for the film screening schedule (day and hour) during the Festival.
The Festival reserves the right to reclassify Festival entries into other categories where this is deemed appropriate.
The Festival does not accept any responsibility for entries which are classified in the wrong category or arrive at the Festival office subsequent to the deadline specified.
The Festival’s liability is confined to intent or grossly negligent conduct, which applies specifically in the event of loss or damage of an entry.
The Festival organization does not accept any responsibility for the cancellation of the Festival due to force majeure.
Acceptance Of Regulations
Special Screenings
