(Elena Dorfman, Albania/US 2026, 67 min., DCP)
Designed as a three-channel installation, this cinematic version of Elena Dorfman’s debut film takes a deep dive into the hidden history of Albanian film. The Albanians established their Kinostudio with the help of the Russians, and went on to produce more than three hundred feature films and thousands of newsreels and documentaries — all of which were state sponsored and censored. However, because Albania was isolated for nearly fifty years, their film history is one of the least known of the Eastern Bloc countries. The archive is nearly complete, with an enormous trove of photographs, hand-made production books, music scores and a plethora of other fascinating materials that have really not yet seen the light of day. Dorfman weaves history, both political and cinematic, into a mesmerizing glimpse of the depth and breadth of Albania’s film history.