Amnesty
by Bujar Alimani
Albania/Greece/France 2011, 83 min, 35 mm
They woke up from oblivion – to live an impossible love
For the first time in Albania, a new law allows sexual intercourse for married couples inside a prison in Tirana. Once a month, Elsa takes on a long bus trip to visit her husband behind bars. Spetim shares this monthly event: his wife has been locked up as well. Out of the prison walls, a secret love story between the two visitors is born, until one day, the government votes on Amnesty.
Awards
Best Actress (Luli Bitri) - East & West IFF 2012
Audience Award - Black Movie Film Festival 2012
Jury Award - Lume IFF 2012
Prix des cinéphiles - Rencontres du cinéma slovaque et de‘l Europe central 2011
Special Mention - Lisbon & Estoril FF 2011
Audience Award, Golden Goddess (Best Actress - Luli Bitri) - PriFilmFestival 2011
Special Jury Prize, FIPRESCI Award, Cineuropa Prize - Lecce EFF 2011
C.I.C.A.E. Award - Berlinale 2011
Festivals
World Premiere: Berlinale Forum 2011
North American Premiere: Montreal World IFF 2011
Cast & Crew
Production: 90 Productions, Fantasia Ltd, Arizona Films Cast: Luli Bitri, Karafil Shena, Todi Llupi, Mirela Naska, Alaksander Rrapi
Bujar Alimani
Bujar Alimani was born on January 27, 1969 in Patos, Albania. He studied painting and stage directing at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana. In 1992 he immigrated to Greece, where he worked as an assistant director on several Greek films.
His short films TO KATOI (2002), YGRAERIO / GAS (2006 ) and BUSSULA / COMPASS (2007) were awarded in various International Film festivals, such as in Tampere, Regensburg, Siena, Sydney, Montpellier etc. In 2011 he directed his first feature film “Amnesty”. It was the first Albanian film that was funded by the Council of Europe fund, Eurimages. The film is the first official participation of Albania in Berlin International Film Festival, and participated in many international festivals Wiesbaden, Germany; Lecce, Italy; Kopenhagen, Denmark; Jerusalem, Israel; La Rochelle, France; Sarajevo, Bosnia-Hercegovina; Montreal, Canada; Antalya, Turkey; Raindance London, UK; Chicago, USA; Kolkata, India; Lisbon, Portugal; Lens, Poland; Talin, Estonia etc., and won the C.I.C.A.E. Prize in Berlin International Film Festival, Fipresci Award, CINEUROPA AWARD, JURY PRIZE Lecce Italy, JURY PRIZE Lisbon Portugal etc.
AMNESTY was the official Albanian Candidate for Foreign Language Film Award OSCAR in 2012.
